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J. B. LIPPirKfCOTT Sc GO. 



THE 



mtximx ^pximmx: 



CONTAINING 



HINTS TO SPORTSMEN, NOTES ON SHOOTING, 



AND THE HABITS OF THE 



BY 

ELISHA J. LEWIS, M.D. 

I! 

MT.MBtnt OP THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY' MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OP NATURAL SCIENCI8 
OF PHILADELPHIA, AMERICAN EDITOR OF "YOUATT ON THE DOQ," ETC. ETC. 



WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. 
ffitsiflitrt lis fiacorge (5. 2IS!E})itc— EngraSctj bg Eoutirrfeack & Hoffmann. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 

1871. 






'• Entered accordiug to act of Congress, in the year 1856, by 

J. B. LIPPINCOIT & CO. 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Coui-t of the United States for the Eastern District of 
Pennsylvania. 



V 



9^^ 
^ 



r 

TO 

D 



J. K. MITCHELL, M.D. 

PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IN THE JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE 
OF PHILADELPHIA, 



IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 
BY HIS FRIEND AND FORMER PUPIL, 

ELISHA J. LEWIS, M.D. 



My dear Doctor : — 

A FEW months only have elapsed since the appearance 
of the second edition of my book on Sporting ; and the pub- 
lishers, much to my gratification, notify me that they are once 
more in need of another supply. To this flattering appeal 
E most cheerfully assent, and trust that you mil again find 
the volume, on this its third advent, much improved, as a 
number of illustrations have been added and the text some- 
what enlarged. 

With sentiments of the warmest esteem, I am, in all 
sincerity. 

My dear Doctor, 

Most truly and faithfully yours, 

ELISHA J. LEWIS. 
To Professor J. K Mitchell. 



PREFACE 



TO THE THIRD EDITION. 




K intelligent, observant sportsman, 
whether he be a votary of the gentle 
craft, or a zealous advocate of the dog 
and gun, instinctively — ^yes, oftentimes 
without being in the least conscious 
of it himself — becomes an impassioned 
admirer of nature and nature's works 
in her most varied and attractive 
forms. 

It is not, as manj* narrow-minded astutes ignorantly sup- 
pose, the mere slaughter of the timorous partridge which so 
early calls him forth tD the stubble-field; neither is it the 
^nveied possession of the savory woodcock that lures him to 
the entangled brake ; nor is it the soaring icisps of fickle 
snipes which alone entice him to the oozy meadows ; nor 
yet the booming grouse that makes him climb the mountain- 
side or seek the far-off rolliu^ prairie. 

There are other incentivea, other charms, besides these, 
ye incredulous, pent-up inhabitants of a crowded city, 
which impel the sportsman, as with a siren's wand, to hie 
joyfully away with dog and gun to the fields, to the hills, to 
the lich autumn-tinted forests. 

Our sportsman has become an admirer of nature ; he has 



Xli PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. 

learned to appreciate the quiet beauties of a wide-extended 
landscape as it spreads out majestically before bim ; he views 
with enthusiastic delight the startling grandeur of a mountain- 
gorge as it suddenly bursts upon his sight; he wanders in 
silent satisfaction through the murmuring forests of stately 
oaks, and lingers for a while in pleasant meditation ere he 
leaps the noisy gurgling streamlet that coquettishly crosses 
his path. 

Then, resting for a time from his pursuits, our happy 
sportsman plucks a half-hidden flower from its heathery bed, 
listens to the far-resounding echoes of the unerring gun, joins 
the merry laugh of his boon-companions, or returns the wild 
halloo of approaching friends. 

Now again he slakes his burning thirst with the sparkling 
M'aters of a mountain-spring, or laves his manly brow with the 
crystal drops from the purling rill that so musically babbles at 
his very feet; and, giving full freedom to those warmer senti- 
ments of the heart which too often become choked and stifled 
by the close contact of selfish city life, he breathes a prayer 
of gratitude to a beneficent Providence for all these enjoy- 
ments, for all these pleasurable sensations. 

To the fields, then, — to the bright and beautiful fields, — to 
the forests, all clothed in the gorgeous livery of the winter's 
frosts, — to the mountains, rich in eternal verdure, — to the 
limpid streams and gushing rills, — do we once more invite you, 
to spend those flitting hours of leisure vouchsafed to us all 
amid the busy scenes of active life. 




My dear Doctor: — 

I AM fully conscious of the fact that it does not seem well 
in the present age for an author to appear egotistical, and 
it therefore becomes him even far less to allude to his own 
productions in terms of praise or commendation ; but still I 
may, I trust, in this instance at least, be pardoned for ex- 
pressing a conviction that you will be much gratified with the 
new dress that my volume on Sporting has assumed on this 
its second advent. 

I beg particularly to call your attention to my Introduction 
to this second edition, which, in connection with some other 
matters, e>:plains the motives that impelled me to change the 
title of my book, and of which I dare hope you will equally 
approve. 

In its present improved form and attractive gear, I flatter 
myself that the "American Sportsman" will give increased 
satisfaction to my sporting friends, and withal again afford 
you an hour or so of pleasant relaxation from the more severe 
studies and weighty responsibilities which your eminent posi- 
tion in the profession necessarily imposes upon you. 

"With many more kind wishes, and with sentiments of high 
esteem and great personal regard, I have much pleasure as 
well as pride in subscribing myself, as ever, 
My dear doctor, 

Most truly and faithfully yours, 

ELISHA J. LEWIS. 
To Professor J. K. Mitchell. 



ziii 



PREFACE 



TO THE SECOND EDITI0:N". 




E must confess that it was with some 
degree of surprise, as well as plea- 
sure, that we learned from our pub- 
lishers that they were so soon ready 
to enter into an arrangement with us 
for a second edition of our " Hints to 
Sportsmen," as it was a gratifying 
assurance, on their part, that the 
unpretending volume which we had 
Bent forth from the press with many misgivings as to its 
merits had met with a kind and liberal reception from those 
for whom we had in our hours of leisure compiled it. 

It would be affectation in us not to acknowledge that it was 
with considerable satisfaction we observed from time to time 
the many flattering reviews and complimentary notices which 
appeared in the various journals in reference to our work. 

"We sincerely trust that on this, its second advent, in an entirely 
new as well as doubly attractive garb, we will meet with the 
like good treatment from our friends of the press. We can 
assure all our readers that nothing has been wanting on our 
part to render the volume still more instructive and interest- 
ing, both as regards the style of getiing-up and the additional 
matter inserted. 



Xvi PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 

Thepe additions, however, though, numerous, have been in 
most instances ingrafted so insidiously on the old text that 
they can scarcely be discerned, save by those who may have 
felt their deficiency in the first edition, and will now, we trust, 
in the present volume, find a portion at least of these defects 
supplied. 

In accordance with the repeated suggestions of some of our 
sporting friends, we have deemed it advisable to change the 
title of our book from "Hints to Sportsmen" to that of the 
"American Sportsman." 

The former appellation, considering the great variety of 
subjects introduced, and the copiousness with which many 
of them are treated, seemed rather too restricted in its signi- 
fication, and far less comprehensive in its general bearing 
than a work of this character merited. Besides all this, the 
laro-e additions as well as alterations that we have made in the 
present volume seemed still further to urge upon us the 
propriety of this change, and more especially as the work in its 
entirel}'- new and beautiful dress can scarcely be regarded as 
the same book, or even recognised as the offspring of the first 
edition. We cannot refrain from calling the attention of our 
sporting friends to the wood-cuts of the various game-birds, 
most of which, in point of execution, have not been equalled, 
let alone excelled, by any thing of the kind before done in 
this country. 

To the Messrs. Louderback and Hoffmann we are indebted 
for the skill and faithfulness with which they have accom- 
plished their portion of the work, and we cheerfully acknow- 
ledge that their great attention to our suggestions, coupled 
with a becoming ambition on their part to do what would be 
creditable to themselves, relieved us of much trouble as well 
as anxiety. Of the truthfulness of these engravings to nature 
we need say but little, as they speak for themselves, the most 
of them being really very lifelike both in position and ex- 
pression. We may remark, however, en passant, that every 



I 



■PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. XVU 

bird and every fowl was sketched from clioice specimens 
obtained from the Academy of E'atural Sciences, or from 
other equally good sources; and in almost every instance, 
the drawings were subjected to the approval of our much- 
esteemed friend, John Cassin, Esq., before the blocks were 
placed in the hands of the engravers. 

This latter circumstance alone should of itself be a 
sufficient guarantee of their correctness, as every one at 
all conversant with science well knows of Mr. Cassin's 
rare acquirements in this particular department of Natural 
History. 

And we now gladly avail of this opportune occasion to 
make our public acknowledgments to this gentleman for 
his many valuable suggestions in reference to the execution 
of these drawings, the securing of which, by-the-by, has 
been by far the most difficult — in fact, we may freely say, 
the only unpleasant as well as vexatious — portion of our 
task. We also return thanks to Mr. John Krider for his 
generous aid in supplying us with the skins of several 
specimens of birds, which assisted materially in insuring 
correct drawings. 

This is not the only good service which Mr. Krider has 
done us as well as the rest of the craft during the last year; 
for, independently of the many fine guns that he has turned 
out from his workshop, he has, with the valuable assistance 
of his friend, Mr. H. M. Klapp, furnished us with his " Sport- 
ing Anecdotes," a book replete not only with amusing but 
very instructive information regarding the habits of our 
game-birds, sporting-dogs, &c. &c. 

Mr. George G. White, the principal draughtsman, and, 
I may say, pupil, of Mr. Cassin's in this particular kind of 
drawing, has displaj^ed much taste as well as artistic skill 
in his delineations of the birds ; and we doubt if he has any 
superior, if equal, on our side of the vasty deep in this spe- 
cial branch of designing. His chapter-headings and many 

2 



XVlll 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION, 



of the vignettes are also spirited and characteristic ; the title- 
page of the four seasons, and frontispiece, are very pleasing 
compositions, and give still further evidences of his talent and 
genius as an artist. 

With these few comments, we again send our volume forth 
from the press, trusting, as before, /ar more to the well-known 
generosity of the craft for its kind recejJtion, than to any great merit 
of its own, but at the same time bearing in mind the good o)d 
Latin proverb, that — "Frustra laborat qui omnibus placere 
studet." 




My dear Doctor: — 

Although we liave never flnslied the covey, started the 
woodcock, or winged the wild duck, in company, yet I know 
full well your partiality for the country, as also your early 
fondness for field and rural sports ; and, if you had not been 
so early engrossed by professional duties, I doubt not that 
you would have been the foremost among those who derive 
60 much enjoyment and healthful recreation from the dog 
and gun. 

Be not surprised, therefore, my dear sir, that, without any 
previous intimation, I should dedicate this volume to you ; 
and at the time rest assured that, in so doing, I am not alone 
influenced by those early feelings of friendship naturally 
engendered by your many kindnesses to me while a student 
in your office, but I beg rather to present it as a slight token 
of the high appreciation I entertain of your varied talents and 
distinguished worth in the profession of which you are so 
successful a teacher and practitioner. 

Accept, then, dear sir, this little tribute of esteem from one 

who has ever regarded the period of his association with you 

when a pupil as a bright spot in the vista of life, to which he 

ever refers with peculiar feelings of pleasure ; and, in conclusion, 

Believe me, my dear doctor. 

Very faithfully j'ours, 

ELISHA J. LEWIS. 
To Professor J. K. Mitchell. 



PREFACE 



TO THE FIKST EDITION. 




^ -^/^_ HE lovers of the dog and gun are 
under many and great obligations to 
Henry William Herbert, Esq., for bis 
most excellent works on Sporting, 
wbich speak for themselves and need 
no commendation from our pen. They 

abound in information and research 

which few have had so great opportu- 
nities of collecting or so much talent to put together. We also 
owe much to William T. Porter, Esq., for his valuable and 
beautiful edition of "Hawker;" and we should not forget to 
thank J. S. Skinner, Esq.,* for his many contributions to the 
same branch of literature. The general favor which the pro- 
ductions of these gentlemen have met with from the public 
has the more emboldened us to venture forth with this unpre- 
tending volume, trusting, however, far more to the well-known 
generosity of "the craft" for its kind reception than to any 
great merit of its own. 

We shall not, in a short preface like this, attempt to ofler, 
for the consideration of our readers, any thing like an eulo- 

* Since writing the above, Mr. Skinner has been gathered to his fathers, ripe 
in years and full of honors. His contributions to the cause of agriculture, rural 
sports, and other kindred subjects, were numerous, and insured for him a wide- 
extended and well-deserved reputation throughout our country. ^ 



XXll PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 

gium upon field-sports ; nor shall we endeavor to exhibit to 
the "vvorld the many benefits and advantages to be derived 
from the general encouragement of these healthful pursuits. 

We beg merely to remind the student of science, the 
cunning expounder of Blackstone, the deeply-read follovrer 
of Galen, the sh?ewd devotee of commerce, as well as the 
most skilful and industrious of artisans, that their intellectual 
powers demand some remission of their labors, and that their 
physical energies also need a certain degree of recreation or 
resuscitation to enable them to pursue those studies and attain 
those ends which stern necessity or exalted ambition prompts 
them to undertake. 

, How, then, or where, then, may we ask, can this relaxation 
of the mind as well as of the body be more agreeably obtained 
than in the open fields and beautiful forests of our favored 
country? There, and there alone, far away from the busy 
throngs of selfish men, wandering with some favored friend, 
in sweet communion with the green fields, the stately forests, 
and limpid streams, the mind of the most grave and studious 
becomes truly unbent and freed from its labors. There the 
heart beats with renewed vigor, the blood courses through its 
usually sluggish channels with a quickened pace, and the 
whole animal as well as intellectual economy becomes sharp- 
ened and revivified under exciting and healthful influences. 

Add, then, to this scene the eager sportsman, surrounded 
by his faithful and sagacious dogs ; call up the sharp echo of 
the unerring gun ; recollect the plaintive call of the timid 
partridge, the startling whirr of the affrighted pheasant, the 
rapid flight of the lonely woodcock, the devious course of 
the fickle snipe, or, perchance, the sudden rush of the skulking 
Jiare, and the picture is complete. Then tell us whether such 
scenes as these are not calculated to enliven the mind, expand 
the energies, and not only bring the glow of health to the 
cheek of youth, but infuse renewed vigor into the very soul 
of the infirm and sedentary. - 



PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. Xxiii 

Is there not a time when the wan-faced student of science 
may neglect for a while the sickly flickeriugs of the midnight 
lamp ? Is there not a time when the learned counsellor may 
escape the wranglings, the jeeriugs, the hitter feuds of tlie 
halls of justice? And is there not a moment of leisure, an 
hour of repose, when the skilful physician may turn a deaf 
ear to the harassing solicitations of suffering humanity, and 
draw for a hrief period the curtain of ohlivion around the 
couch of disease and death ? 

Yes ! there is a time for all these ; and there is a time when 
even the anxious, upright, and enterprising merchant may, 
for a hrief period, while quailing, as it were, the fahled waters 
of Lethe, forget the perplexities of commerce, the fluctuations 
of trade, the uncertainty of riches, and remain even unmindful 
of his gallant ships, that come hounding across the hriny deep, 
heavily freighted with the fine wares of the North, the South, 
the East, and the West. 

Yes ! there is a time, thaidcs to the nohle founders of our 
liheral institutions, when even the industrious artisan, freed 
from all care and anxiety, may forget the labors and duties 
of the shop, and wander forth to enjoy the works of nature 
and learn more highly to appreciate the boon of freedom, 
his country's dearest gift. 

To the fields, then, — to the bright and beautiful fields, — with 
"dog and gun," do we invite you, one and all, to spend those 
hours of leisure and participate in those innocent enjoyments 
so captivating to a true sportsman. 




INDEX. 



AcouM, 463, 

comments on the giuttony of Sa- 
vages, 463. 
comments on the pleasures of the 

table, 463. 
comments on the frozen markets 
of St. Petersburg and Moscow, 
467. 
Achilles, the bravery of, 430. 
Act of Assembly, 93. 

against killing game in l»elawarej,93, 
against killing game in Illinois and 

other Western States, 93. 
against killing game in Maryland, 

93. 
against killing game in New Jersey. 

93. 
against killing game in Pennsylvania, 
93. 
Africa, guns made for, 44». 
Age of the Dog, 509. 
Ah-bob-white, 75. 
.Ajax, the bravery of, 430. 
Alexander the Great : superstitious dread 

of gunpowder, 430. 
Ambush, erected on the flats, 292. 

how constructed 292, 
Amputate the wing of a wounded bird, 

how to, 491, 
Anecdote, snipe-shooting, 203. 
swan-shooting, 298. 
punters' — of frozen ducks, 299. 
of Colonel Hawker, 302. 
Apicius, extraordinary feast of, 464. 
ApoUonius Tyanaus, refers to gun- 
powder, 430. 
Philostratus, historian of, 430. 
Audubon, description of driving Par- 
tridges, 94. 
description of the Wild Tur- 
key, 127. 
observations on the migrations 

of Squirrels, 359. 
comments on cooking game, 
473. 



Auriculars, ear-coverts, their position 

and use, 34. 
Auri sacra fames of the present day, 

93. 
Aztecs, Wild Turkey domesticated among, 

138. 

B 

Bacchus, Egyptian, repulsed with gun- 
powder, 430. 
Backwoodsmen of America, 51. 

their exploits with the 

rifle, 51. 
killing Squirrels and Wild 
Turkeys, 51. 
Bacon, Friar, his knowledge of gun- 
powder, 430. 
Bald-pate, (see Widgeon,) 311. 
Barnyard Ducks, fed on celery, 272. 
Barrels, leading of, how freed, 398. 
Bar-shooting, 297. 
Bartram, statement respecting young 

Rails, 220. 
Bastard-wing, description of, 34. 
Bats, acute sensation of, 38. I 

Battery, description of, 283. 

great numbers of ducks shot 

from, 284. 
mode of building, 286. 
explanation of the model, 288. 
Beetle or Bull-head, (see Plover,) 249. 
Bears, in Iowa, 63. 

large numbers destroyed, 91. 
Beef, Sportsman's, how made, 481. 
Birds, batting, 189. 

flesh of, made poisonous, 78. 
measurement of, 36. 
moulting, 38. 
nocturnal, 37. 
serpents charming, 73. 
technical terms applied to, 33. 
Black or Dusky Duck, 322. 

well known in the Philadelphia 

market, 322. 
habits and description, 323. 
Black-bellied Plover, (see Plover,) 248. 

XXV 



XXVI 



INDEX. 



Blain — directions for polishing rust from 

gun-barrels, 401. 
Blow, treatment of, 504. 
Bob-o-link, (see Reed-Bird,) 210. 
Boots, shooting, 388. 
best kind, 389. 
receipts for dressing, 392, 
Boswell — comments on Dr. Johnson's eat- 
ing, 459. 
Both eyes open, 60. 
Bowles, Mr., description of the feeding 

of AVoodcocks, 173. 
Box, (see Battery,) 288. 
Brace or couple, what is understood by 

a, 41. 
Brant or Brent, Barnacle Goose, 335. 

Anas Bernicla — habits — haunts, 

335. 
how killed — description, 336. 
a gang of, 42. 
Brewer — observation on the ventrilo- 
quism of Rails, 221. 
Brown, Captain — his work on Taxidermy, 

488. 
Brown thickening for game, 480. 
Bryan, George H. — a Rail captured at 

sea, 221. 
Buifel-headed Duck— Butter-ball, 320. 
Anas Albeola, 320. 
habits, haunts, and description. 
321. 
Buffaloes — great numbers destroyed, 91. 
Buffon — opinion as to the origin of the 
Wild Turkey, 138. 
statement respecting White Par- 
tridges, 84. 
Bull or Boetle-head,-(see Plover,) 249. 
Burlington, Iowa, 89. 

I large numbers of Partidges 

netted in neighborhood of, 
89. 
Burn, how to be treated, 506. 
Bursting of guns, 418. 
Bush River — tuliiig ducks on, 278. 
Butter-ball, (see Buticl-headcd Duck,) 
320. 

c 

Canada Goose, (see Goose,) 329. 

Grouse, 164. 

Grouse met with in, 164. 
Canard Cheval, 272. 
Cannon, antiquity of, 432. 
Canvas-back, 267. 

Anas Valisineria, 267. 

their great repute, 267. 

testimony of Wilson as to their 
peculiar delicacy, 268. 

known only in America, 268. 

description, history, and habits, 
268. 



Canvas-back — continued. 

their food and haunts, 270. 
shyness and modes of taking, 

273. 
toling, boating, netting, 274. 
use of dug-outs, 281. 
batteries, surface-boats, or sinks, 

283. 
description of batteries, 286. 
decoys, 290. 

ambush on the flats, 292. 
shooting off points, 293. 
holes in the ice, 295. 
point and bar-shooting, 296. 
anecdote, 298. 
art of shooting, 299. 
verses descriptive of, 304. 
Cap-chargers, 376. 
Cap, Napoleon, 385. 
Caps, Percussion, varieties of, 373. 
Carolina, Reed-Birds in, 214. 

Snipe in, 194. 
Cartridges, extensively used, 377. 

how made and when service- 
able, 378. 
Eley's patent, 380. 
Celery sauce, how made, 478. 
Ceylon, Snipes in, 194. 
Citizens encourage killing game out of 
season, 92. 
should discountenance game sup- 
pers, 93. 
Chandler., M. T. W.— 

observations on Woodcocks, 

170. 
observations on the haunts of 

Woodcocks, 182. 
receipts for making water- 
proof dressing for boots, 
394. 
Charadrius Apricarius, (see Black-Bellied 
Plover,) 248. 
Pluvialis, ('see Golden Plover,) 
250. ' 
Charles the First — 

small-arms in the reign of, 435. 
Charming birds, serpents, 72. 
Chesapeake Bay — 

partridges caught on the shores 

of the, 88. 
as a resort of wild fowl, 262. 
various kinds of Ducks on, 262. 
exciting times on, 263. 
present and future numbers of 
wild fowl on, 305. 
China, gunpowder known in, 429. 
Chinese, gunpowder known to, 429, 
food of the, 464. 
gunpowder used by the, 431. 
Clapper Rail, (see Rallus Crepitans,) 237 
Clean guns, 386, 



INDEX. 



XXVll 



Clerks of the market blind as bats, 92. 
Club-houses — encourage killing of game 

out of season, 92. 
Coat, made of fustian, 385. 

made of woollen cloth, 385. 
Cocking the gun, 364. 
Cock, part of the machinery of a gun, 

377. 
CoflBn-hoat, description of, 283. 
Columbia River, Ruffed Grouse on the 
ranges of, 143, 
Pinnated Grouse abun- 
dant about, 159. 
Columbia migratoria— Wild Pigeon, 2G5. 
Collura, the neck, 36. 
Conquest of Mexico — Wild Turkey men- 
tioned by Prescott, 138. 
Constantinople — British cruisers visited, 

137. 
Coolness and deliberation, necessity of, 
48. 
importance of, 52. 
Cooking, ai't of — game, 458. 

"God sends meat, who" — 458. 
Rumford's philosophic remarks 

on, 458. 
Mayo's, Dr., remarks on, 459. 
importance of good, 400. 
authors' views and sentiments, 

459. 
Johnson's, Dr., comments on, 

459. 
further comments on the im- 
portance of good, 460. 
autboi's' remarks on, 461. 
Accum's remarks on, 468. 
among the Romans, 464. 
among the Chinese, 464. 
comments of Louis Eustache 

Ude, 465. 
to select game, and when to 

cook it, 466. 
frozen game, 467. 
to roast game, larded, broiled, 

469. 
boiled game, and some other 

ways, 471. 
Snipe, Woodcock, Plover, Phea- 
sants, 472. 
Reed-Birds, Rail, and other 

kinds of game, 474. 
Wild Fowl, 477. 
Canvas-backs, 477. 
further remarks on, 478. 
brown thickening for, 480. 
potatoes a la maitre d'hotel, 480. 
Venison soup, 481. 
Sportsman's Beef, 481. 
Hares, Rabbits, or Squirrels, 
482. 
Copple, Daniel, white Snipe killed by, 208. 



Corns on the feet, how cured, 501. 
Corona — crown of the head, 35. 
Couple or Brace, exphmatiou of, 41. 
Covert-shooting, rules for, 59. 
Cross-shooting, or cross-shots, 66. 

rules for, 56. 
Curlew, Esquimaux or Short-billed Cur- 
lew, 241. 

Scolopax Borealis, 241. 

nomenclature and history, 241, 

migrations, food, 242. 

their flesh, and time to shoot 
them, 243. 
Curlew, Long-billed or Sickle-bill — ■ 

Numenius Longirostris, 245. 

habits and description, 245. 
Cygnus Americana, (see Swan,) 337. 

D 

Daniel, Rev. AVm. B. — 

fecundity of the English Par- 
tridge referi'ed to by, 70. 
several white Partidges men- 
tioned by, 83. 
description of English Pochard, 

308. 
receipt for gun-ointment, 400. 
Damascus gun-barrels, 454. 
Decoys, best kind, price of, 290. 
Deer, abundant in Iowa, 63. 

great numbers destroyed, 91. 
Delaware — game ordinances, 93. 
Woodcock in, 170. 
good shooting, 109. 
Snipes in, 200. 
Willet's frequent, 254. 
Reed-Birds on river, 212. 
Diet and Drink — 

effect of exercise on, 497. 
unadulterated water, 497. 
eat and drink with moderation. 

497. 
avoid debauch and various liquors, 

497. 
avoid bad liquors; how to avoid, 

498. 
water-drinkers, 498. 
Distances on the water very deceptive, 

264. 
Doe-bird, 247. 
Dogs, terms applicable to, 40. 

Youatt on the, best work on, 43. 
type of all that is noble, 44. 
fidelity of, 44. 

disinterested attachment of, 44. 
exalted above all other animals, 45. 
their social position, 45. 
the associate of man, 45. 
guardian of his flocks, 45. 
forgiving spirit, 45, 



XXVIU 



tNDfiX. 



Dogs — contiifiued. 

abandonment of all his race, 45* 

humility, companionship, 45. 

joy and sorrow of, Ah. 

Walter Scott's account of a, 45-. 

how to treat, 1 1 3. 

feed them yourself; reasons for, 

114. 
how to enter — on the field, 115. 
proper manner to hunt, 115. 
half broken, young, and heedless, 

115. 
good, young, old, 11 6-. 
timid, bold, 116. 
correction of, 11 7-. 
never kick or shoot, 117. 
act of pointing in, second nature, 

118. 
not to flush llie game, 118. 
should find the dead bird, 119. 
should be made to couch, 119. 
retrievers diliicuU to train, 119. 
to make — gentle with game, 121. 
should hunt up wounded or dead 

game, 121. 
how to hunt, 122. 
when — come to a point, 123. 
occasionally at fiiult, 123. 
English not equal to American, 124. 
accidental death of a, 207. 
to tell the age of, 509. 
Domery, Charles, celebrated glutton, 464. 
his wonderful feats of eating, 464. 
Domestic animals — 

their attachment and forced sub- 
mission, 46. 
how diflFerent from the dog, 46. 
Down charge, 41. 
Dubuque, immense load of game carried 

into, 63. 
Ducks, art of shooting, 299. 
toling, 274. 

further instructions on shooting, 
301. 
Duck Island, experiments at, 265. 
Dackers, hints for, 264. 
Dug-outs, description of, 281-. 
Dun-birds of England, 308. 
Dupont, gunpowder made by, 407. 

composition and superiority of, 
407. 
Dusking, as applied to Wild-Fowl shoot- 
ing, 323. 
Dusky Duck, (see Black Duck), 322. 

East, Wild Turkey not a native of the, 

136. 
Eating-saloons encourage killing of game 

out of season, 92. 



Edward III. uses gunpowder, 432. 

guns in the reign of, 434i 
Eggs, eating Partridge, 90. 

should be discountenanced, 91» 
preserving, shells, 489. 
Egypt, Snipe in, 194. 
Egyptian Plercules, 43&. 
Eley's patent cartridge, 380. 
Elizabeth Island, Pinnated Grouse ofi> 

159. 
Elk River- 
immense drove of partridges en- 
countered in the neighborhood 
of, 81. 
their singular actions, 82. 
Elizabeth, Queen, uses gunpowder, 432. 

guns in the reign of, 434. 
England, etforts to introduce the Ameri* 
can Partridge into, 96. 
Woodcock-shooting in, 191, 
Land-Rail or Corn-Crake of, 

217. 
Water-Crake or Spotted Rail 

of, 217. 
gun-makers of, 435. 
guns imported from, 439. 
cost of guns imported from, 439. 
Epicurus, followers of, 267. 
Epreuvette, or powder-prover, 411. 
Eye, pupil of the, 35. 
seldom wrong, 52. 
seldom at fault, 53. 
how to treat a wounded, 507. 
Eyre, J. M., exploits in Rail shooting, 
230. 

FEATHEKS^rump or upper tail-coverts, 

35. 
their position, character, and 

use, 35. 
stronger in proportion to the 

habits of the bird, 35. 
how formed in the Woodpecker 

tribe, 35. 
how formed in the Water-Fowl, 

35. 
acts as a rudder, 35. 
Feathers^ — vent or under tail coverts, 35. 
their position and character, 35. 
longer on some Birds than others, 

35. 
how developed in the Rallus Ca- 

rolinus, 35. 
Feathers — sensation in, 37. 

delicate impressions conveyed 

nice organization of, in noctur- 
nal birds, 37. 
Fe&thers, shedding of, 38. 



INDEX. 



XXIX 



Feathers — continued. 

accidents to, 88. 
moulting of, 88. 
Field, taking the, 112. 

verses descriptive of the sports of 
the, 112. 
Field or Grass Plover, 257. 
Figure-of-4 trap — 

taking Partridges with a, 90. 
Flasks, powder, 309. 

various kinds of, in use, 369. 
caution in the use of, 369, 
patent, 370. 
Flight, velocity of, 265. 

experiments to prove the velocity 
of, 265. 
Flexure — bend of the wing, 35. 
Florida, Snipes in, 197. 

Canvas-backs in, 272. 
Folly Island, numbers of Curlew on, 

245. 
Fontainebleau, escape of a Falcon from, 

266. 
Forrester, Frank — opinion on Woodcocks, 
175. 
observations on the 
note of the Snipe, 
196. 
: Fowler — an English writer, 63. 

opinion of American Sporting, 
63. 

how unjust, 63. 
Fowler, a celebrated Rail-pusher, 227. 
France, gun-barrels imported from, 447. 
Frederick the Great required little sleep, 

500. 
Freiburg, monument erected at, 432. 
Frons — forehead, 35. 
Frost Birds, 250. 
Frozen Game, 467. 

G 

( Gal^rie des Oiseaux, Viellot's, 175. 
1 Gallinaceous order, noise made by the, 

82. 
I Galveston Bay, Canvas-backs in, 272. 
Game of all descriptions abundant, 91. 
recklessly destroyed, 92. 
illegal traffic in, 92. 
ordinances against selling, 92. 
ordinances a dead letter, 92. 
hawkers of, 92. 

their disregard of ordinances, 92. 
predictions regarding, 104. 
probable abundance of, 104. 
probable scarcity of, 104. 
Ganges, the river, 430. 
Gauge for Powder and Shot, 381. 

description of, 381. 
I GeesCj terms applicable to, 42. 



Georgia, Ruffed Grouse in, 143. 
Georgia, Reed-Birds in, 214. 
German Jiigers, good marksmen, 51. 
Germany, guns imported from, 441. 
Giraud — description of King Rail, 235. 
statement about Curlew, 245. 
Gilman, Dr. — 

article on venomous snakes, 74. 
curious experiments on snakes, 74. 
Gloves, use of, 363. 

importance of wearing, 803. 
Gluttony among savages, 463. 
Godnian — comments on the migrations 

of squirrels, 359, 
Good shooting, 112. 
Good shot, 48. 
Golden Plover, 250. 
Goose, Canada, 329. 

Anas Canadensis, 329. 

habits and haunts, 329. 

great numbers killed by the In 

dians, 830. 
Pennat's account of shooting, 

330. 
easily domesticated, 831. 
how killed, 332. 
description, 332. 
Goose, Snow, 333. 

Anas hyperborea, 333. 
habits and haunts, 333. 
description, 333. 
laughing or grinning, 334. 
Gratz, David — 

White Partridge in his possession, 
84. 
Grass or Field Plover, 251. 
Greener — comments on gun-locks, 405. 
observations on loading guns, 

415. 
remarks on brazing guns, 446. 
Grouse, terms applicable to, 41. 
numbers killed, 91. 
cooking, 472. 
Grouse, Pinnated, 156. 

Prairie Chicken or Hen, 156. 
Tetrao cupido, 156.. 
description of, 157. 
location, 157. 
period of pairing, 159. 
tooting of the, 159. 
Audubon's remarks, 159. 
domestication of. 161. 
flight of the, 162. 
feeding and roosting, 162. 
time for shooting, 163. 
other varieties, 164. 
Grouse, Ruffed, 143. 

Pheasant, 143. 
Tetrao Umbellus, 143. 
locality and nomenclature, 143 
description of, 144. 



xxx 



INDEX. 



Grouse — continued. 

confounded with Praifie Chicken, 

145. 
their gradual destruction, 145. 
incubation and drumming, 146. 
their battles and migrations, 147. 
flight of the, 148. 
habits, 149. 

their flesh poisonous, 149. 
enemies of the, 150. 
their flesh, 150. 
a feast of English, 151. 
modes of shooting, 151. 
treeing, 152. 

shooting, with a setter, 153. 
snares, etc., 154. 



Gun- 



selecting a, 49. 

handling the, 49. 

nicety of shooting with, 51. 

exploits with, 51. 

proper handling of, 57. 

never beat bushes with, 60. 

cannot be too careful with, 60. 

importance of clean, 386. 

to clean, 396. 

properly loading, 414. 

Greener's remarks on, 415. 

size and bore of, 416. 

bursting of, 418. 

experiments on recoil, 418. 

recoil in, 424. 

Commodore Stockton's experiments 
on recoil, 426. 

authors' views, 427. 

its various parts, 433, 

second-rate, 433. 

when first invented, 433. 

in the reign of Elizabeth, 433. 

in the reign of Henry VIII., 433. 

in the reign of Edward III., 433. 

made in England, 433. 

made in Philadelphia, 433. 

made in New York, 433. 

various parts of a, 435. 

Westley Richards, celebrated ma- 
ker of, 439. 

made in America, 439. 

made in England, 439. 

description of an imported, 439. 

bill of a, imported from England, 
440. 

necessity of a good, 440. 

made in Germany, 441. 

made in New York, 441. 

maile in Philadelphia, 442. 

welding barrels, 443. 

hammer-hardening, 444. 

boring, 444. 

grinding, 445. 

turning, 445. 



Gun — continued. 

brazing and breeching, 446. 

Greener's remarks, 446. 

proving barrels, 447. 

forgery of the proof-marks, 447. 

Spanish barrels, 448. 

French barrels, 448. 

sham-dam guns, 448. 

park-palings, 448. 

made for the African markeij 

448. 
staining barrels, 449. 
metal used in the manufacture, 449. 
materials from which made, 450. 
care and labor bestowed upon, 

451. 
deceptions practised, 452. 
spurious, 452. 

wire-twist for manufacturing, 453, 
Damascus barrels, 455. 
charcoal iron, 455. 
other kinds of metal used, 455. 
wood for stocking, 456. 
staining woods for stocking, 456. 
Gunpowder, discovery of, 406. 

to whom attribvited, 406. 
known to the Chinese, 406. 
English, Scotch, and French, i 
406. I 

Dupont's, 407. ' 

varieties of, 407. 
what kind preferred, 408. 
anecdote, 408. 
glazed and unglazed, 410. 
tests for, 411. 

epreuvette, or powder- 
pro ver, 411. 
to preserve from moisture, 

412. 
impure, 413. •• 

to dry damp, 414. 
discovery and introduction, 

429. 
well known to the ancients, 

429. 
remarks of UfiFano on, 429. 
use of, in Cliina, 429. 
used by King Vitney, 430. 
referred to by Philostratus, 

430. 
used by the Oxydracse, 430. 
deters Alexander the Great, 

430. 
employed against Hercules, 

430. 
employed against Bacchus, 

430. 
used in India, 430. j 

known to Friar Bacon, 430. 
mentioned in the Opus Ma- 
gus, 430, 



INDEX. 



XXXI 



Gunpowder — continued, 

inquiries into the early ori- 
gin of, 430. 
known to tlie Chinese, 431. 
discovery concealed, 431. 
reasons for concealment, 

481. 
discovered by Berthold 

Schwarz, 431. 
monument erected in com- 
memoration of, 432. 
used by Edward TIL, 432. 
used by Henry VIII. 432. 
used by Elizabeth, 432. 
used in hand-goune, 432. 
used in wheel-lock goune, 
432. 
Gunsmiths of New York, 441. 

Philadelphia, 441. 
England, 442. 

H 

Hammer or cock of the gun, 377. 
Hand-goune — when invented, 432. 
Hanger's, General George, lotion, 507. 

receipt for Sportsman's beef, 
482. 
Hare, American, 339. 

Gray Rabbit, 339. 

Lepus sylvaticus, 339. 

description, 339. 

locality and general characteristics, 

340. 
not a rabbit, 340. 
the speed of, 343. 
a nocturnal animal, 344. 
food of, 344. 
flesh of, 345. 
hunting, 346. 
domestication, 347. 
cry of the, enemies of the, 347. 
varieties, 348. 
cooking the, 483. 
Hares, terms applicable to, 42. 

great abundance in Iowa, 63. 
numbers destroyed. 91. 
Havre-de-Grace, Partridges caught near, 

88. 
Hawker, Colonel — 

on wild-fowl shooting, 260. 
comments on wild fowl, 264. 
the Magnus Apollo, 313. 
dressing for shooting-boots, 393. 
receipt for soup, 475. 

cooking of wild fowl, 
477. 
Hawks, the quill-feathers of, 34. 

conflicts with Partridges, 72. 
destroy numbers of Partridges, 
103. 



Hawks — continued. 

their boldness, 103. 
the alarm they occasion, 103. 
prey upon Ducks, 104. 
sportsmen should kill, 104. 
Heels, galled, how to treat, 500. 
Hellebore, Quails feed on, 81. 

their fleah poisoned by, 81. 
Hemorrhage, to preserve wounded bird 
from, 490. 
to stop accidental, 508. 
Henry IV. of France — 

a falcon belonging to, 266. 
its rapid flight, 2G6. 
Henry VIII.— 

Wild Turkey introduced in the 

reign of, 137. 
uses gunpowder, 432. 
guns used by, 434. 
Hercules, Egyptian, 430. 
Hispania, coasts of, devastated, 136. 
Hominum servatorem, 462. 
Hubbell, great number of Rail killed by, 

231. 
Hygiene — general remarks, 493. 

atmospheric vicissitudes, 493. 
caution to sportsmen, 493. 
proper clotliing, 4it3. 
an ounce of precaution, 494. 
"temperance, joy, and repose," 

494. 
hot tea and coffee, 494. 
catarrhs, rheumatism, 494. 
overheated, 495. 

death caused bj' imprudence, 496. 
state of the atmosphere, 495. 
malarious districts, 496. 
precautions to be adopted, 496. 
noxious exhalations, 496. 
diet and drink, 496. 
exercise, perpetual motion, 497. 
headache and malaise, 497. 
pure water the best drink, 497. 
fondness for vinous liquors, 497. 
avoid di'inking bad liquors, 498. 



Illinois, game-laws of, 93. 

abundance of Giouse in, 158, 
Indiana, Grouse in, 158. 
Indians regard with horror slaughter of 
game, 184. 
kill great numbers of Geese, 330 
Iowa, abundance of game in, G3. 

Partridges in, 63. 
Prairie Chickens, 63 
Hares, 63. 
Deer, 63. 
AVolves, 63, 
Bears, 63, 



XXXll 



INDEX^ 



Iowa — continued. 

great numbers of Partridges killed 

in, 89. 
great numbers of Partridges netted 
in, 89. 
Ireland, Woodcock in, 190. 
Italia — her coasts devastated, 136. 
Iris irides of birds, 35. 



Jack-Feost nips Tegetation, 62, 

Jack Curlew, 247. 

Jamaica, Reed-Birds in, 214. 

Japan, Snipes in, 194. 

Jersey, Ruifed Grouse in pines of, 143. 

Johnson, Dr. — remai'ks on cooking, 459. 



K 

Kalmia CiiAuca, 77. 

marsh laurel, 77. 
Grouse and Partridges feed on, 77. 
animals feed on, 78. 
Kalmia Lati folia, 77. 

mountain laurel, 77. 
Grouse and Partridges feed on, 77. 
animals feed on, 78. 
RuflFed Grouse feed on, 149. 
author's comments on, 150. 
Keel-boatmen of America, 51. 

their exploits with the rifle, 51. 
snuffing the candle, 51. 
driving the nail, 51. 
Kentucky, RuflFed Grouse in, 143. 

Pinnated Grouse in, 158. 
Keokuk, numbers of Partridges about, 
110. 
cooped and sent to New Or- 
leans, 110. 
Kill-deer Plover, 251. 
Killing clean, importance of, 64. 

what distance in, 05. 
for humanity's sake, 65. 
verses in support of, 65. 
King-snake — curious expei-iments, 74. 

their wonderful endowments, 75. 
Kitchener, Dr., on the pleasures of the 

table, 465. 
Knife, sporting, proper kind, 384. 



Lake Ontario, Reed-Birds about, 211. 
Laurel, mountain, (see Kalmia Latifolia,) 

77. 
Laws, game, mere bagatelle, 178. 
Leading of barrels, 3'J8. 
how freed, 399. 



Lee, Mrs., directions for mounting birds, 
486. 
her work on Taxidermy, 488. 
Legislative enactments as to killing game, 

93. 
Lepus cuniculus, 339. 
sylvaticus, 330. 
Lesser coverts — situation and character, 

34. 
Levy, W. W. — celebrated duck-shooter, 
285. . 
his draft of a battery, 291. 
Lewis, E. — Snipe's nest on his estate, 198. 
Liquors, bad, to be avoided, 498. 
Locks of a gun, 404. 

importance of good, 405. 
Greener's remarks on, 405. 
Long-billed Curlew, 246. 
Long Island, Pinnated Grouse on, 169. 
Loral space, 35. 
Louisiana, Pinnated Grouse in, 158. 

Reed-Birds, 210. 
Louis Eustache Ude — comments on cook- 
ery, 465. 
Lynx — attack on Wild Turkeys, 141. 
L^'on's, Captain — 

views on the ventriloquism of the 
Arctic Fox, 222. 

M 

Maonhs Apotto — , 

Colonel Hawker the, 313. 
Magnus Coquus of the ancients, 462. 
INIaine, Grouse met with in, 164. 
]\Iallard or Wild Drake, 314. 

Anas Boschus — habits and haunts, 
314. 

parent stock of tame Duck, 314. 

description, 315. 

in the ricefields, 316. 

on the Delaware, 316. 

in England, 316. 

decoy-ponds for netting, 316. 
Malta, Falcon captured at, 266. 
Mandibles, upper and lowtT, 35. 
Martha's Vineyard, Pinnated Grouse on, 

159. 
ISLassachusetts, Grouse found in, 164. 
Maxillfe, superior and infei-ior, 35. 
Mayo, Dr. — remarks on cooking, 459. 
iMeasurenient of birds, 36. 
Mediterranean, Turkish cruisers in, 13G. 
Meleagris Gallopavo — wild Turkey, 126. 
Mentum, the chin, 36. 
Mexicans, Wild Turkey domesticyted by 

the, 138. 
Migrations of Partridges, 81. 
causes of their, 82. 
singular actions during their, 
82. 



INDEX. 



XZXUl 



Millochau, Adolphe, gun-oil of, 400. 
Mississippi River, Ruffed Grouse on the 

ranges of tlie, 143. 
Moon — effects on the tides, 228. 

Rails feed at the full of the, 
228. 
Moulting of birds, 38. 

wise provision of nature, 38. 
change in the plumage, 38. 
protection from enemies, 88. 
in quadrupeds, 38. 
cold modified by, 38. 
gi-adual in birds, 39. 
time of, 39. 
in water-fowl, 39. 
in birds than incubate far north, 
89. 
Mordecai, Captain, 39. 

experiments and observations on 
pov/der, 413. 
Moscow, frozen markets of, 467. 
Mount Holly, Partridges shot in the 

neighborhood of, 78. 
Mud Creek — good Snipe-ground, 63. 
Markets in reign of Queen Elizabeth, 

435. 
Mud Hen, 237. 

N 

NArotEON required little sleep, 500. 
Natural History, importance of studying, 

85. 
Nipple or pivot of the gun, 376, 

wrench for, 383. 
Nooses of horse-hair, 90. 

ftv taking game, 90. 
Norton, Robert, 429. 
North Carolina — 

driving Partridges as practised in, 
94. 
New Jersey — . 

game-ordinances of, 93. 
numbers of RuflFed Grouse in, 145. 
Woodcock in, 170. 
Snipes in, 197. 
Willets frequent, 254. 
New Orleans, Canvas-backs about, 272. 
Netting Ducks, 280. 
I'artridges, 
New York Ruifed Grouse, 145. 
gun-makers of, 435. 



Occiput — back of the head, 35. 
Old World, batteries of the, 79. 

Quails of the, 89. 
Opus Magus of Bacon, 430. 
Ordinance against selling game, 93. 
'^nithologists, terms used by, 33. 



2i 



Ornithologists who have graced this 

country, 67. 
Ornithology, technical terms the ABC 

of, 33. 

this information easily acquired, 
34. 
Orismology, sporting terms a branch of, 

40. 
Owls, sensation of feathers in, 38. 
Oxydracse, 430. 



Panthers — ^numbers destroyed, 91. 
Partridge, the springing of, 49. 

vigorous flight of, 52. 

when flushed, 57. 

flies with amazing velocity, 57. 

flight compared with English, 
67. 

great abundance of, in Iowa, 
63. 
Partridge, Perdix Virginianus, 66. 

verses descriptive of, 66. 

their abundance, locality, no- 
menclature, 66. 

description, habits, 67. 

perching on trees, 68. 

not strictly migratory, 68. 

running season, 68. 

during winter at the North, 68. 

catching in nets, traps, &c., 69. 

period of pairing, 69. 

building their nests, 70. 

number of eggs, 70. 

fecundity of English, 70. 

period of incubation, 70. 

the young, 71. 

strictly monogamous, 71. 

leaving the nest, 71. 

solicitude of the hen, 72. 

artifices of the cock, 72. 

conflicts with hawks, serpents, 
&c., 72. 

domestication of, 74. 

two broods, 74. 

author's opinion of, 75. 

call of the, 75. 

actions of young, 76. 

roosting, 76. 

food, 77. 

shot on Tapahannock marshes, 
78. 

English, compared with Ame- 
rican, 79. 

not a Quail, 80. 

how it diflFers from th« Quail, 
80. 

running season of the, 81. 

immense droves, 81. 

singular actions, 81. 



XXXIV 



INDEX. 



Partridge — coji tinued. 

cause of theee migrations, 82. 
flight of — whirring noise, 82. 
flight of English, 83. 
change in color of plumage, 

83. 
■white or pied, 82. 
remarkable, in possession of 

author, 84. 
hints on hunting, 87. 
formed into coveys, 88. 
time for killing, 88. 
taken in traps, 88. 
abundant in Iowa, 89. 
nooses of horse-hair to catch, 

90. 
eating eggs of, 90. 
numbers destroyed in 1855 

and '56, 91. 
game-ordinances disregarded, 

92. 
whistle of the, 94. 
driving into nets, 94. 
etforts to introduce into Eng- 
land, 96. 
actions of old and young, 97. 
best to break dogs on, 97. 
retaining scent, 98. 
enemies of, 102. 
probable abundance or scarcity 

of, 104. 
haunts of, 104. 
where to find, 105. 
dry and wai-m weather, 105. 
wet and boisterous weather, 

105. 
further hints on hunting, 107. 
early dawn — at noon, 107. 
when they feed, 107. 
before leaving their roost, 

108. 
seldom roost in same place, 

108. 
during snow, 109. 
Parti'idges — 

shooting in Delaware, 109. 

Virginia, 110. 
season of 1851 and '52, 110. 
numbers in vicinity of Keokuk, 

110. 
numbers taken in nets, 110. 
Phillips, Clem. T,, kills sixty-one, 

Ill- 
good shooting, 112. 
Frank Forrester's opinion of diffi- 
culty of killing American, 112. 
taking the field, 112. 
how to act when hunting, 115. 
wounded birds, 121. 
most difficult of all birds to shoot, 
121. 



Partridges — continued 

frequently give forth no Bcent, 

121. 
to split and broil, 471 
Pectus — the breast, 86. 
Pennet's, Mr., account of shooting Geese, 

330. 
Percussion caps, 373. 

how made, best kind, 373. 
substitute for, 375. 
Perdix Virginianus, (see Partridge,) 66. 
Pharaohs, Snipe in the country of the, 

194. 
Pheasant, or Ruffed Grouse, 143. 
Philadelphia, game hawked about, 92. 

contrary to municipal ordinances, 

92. 
gun-makers of, 435, 441. 
Phillips, Clem. T.— 

kills sixtj'-one birds, 111. 
Pigeon, killing with a rifle, 50. 
exploits in shooting, 51. 
Pike, celebrated Rail-pusher, 227. 
Plover, Golden — 

Charadrius pluviales, 250. 
habits, food, 250. 
how best killed, 251. 
description, 251. 
Plover, Black-bellied, 248. 

Bull or beetle-headed, 249. 
Grass or Field, 251. 
Piping, 251. 
terms applicable to, 41. 
Poking shot not to be admired, 61. 
Porter's, William T., account of Squirrels, 

360. 
Potatoes a la Maitre d'Hotel, 480. 
Pot-hunter — a despicable fellow, 86. 

how to act in company with a, 
87. 
Potterer, or poking-shot, 51. 
Powder-flasks, 869. 
prover, 411. 
Powers, N., of Iowa — 

load of game collected by, 63. 
Prairie Chicken, (see Grouse.) 
Prescott refers to tlie Wild Turkey in his 

"Conquest of Mexico," 138. 
Primaries, large quill-feathers, 34. 
their position and use, 34. 
peculiarly constructed in the 
Hawk, 34. 
Pugh, English artist, anecdote of, 85. 

Q 

QuADKUPEDS, change of pelage in, 38. 
Quail not a Partridge, 80. 

different in habits, 80. 
flesh, 80. 

is polygamous, 80. 



I 



INDEX. 



XXXV 



Quail — continued. 

a migi'atory bird, 80. 

trail at niglit, 81. 

employed in combat, 81. 

not esteemed as food, 81 

assemble in innumerable bodies, 89. 

killed in immense numbers, 89. 

people surfeited witli, 89. 
Quail Snipe, 2u(j. 

E 

Rabbit, Gray, (see Hare.) 

Rail or Sora, liallus Carolinus, 217. 

description, nomenclature, 217. 
history, &c., 218. 
singular characteristics, 221. 
Rail, their food and resorts, 222. 
sliooting, 224. 

paraphernalia for shooting, 227. 
pushers for shooting, 227. 
tides, 228. 
numbers killed, 230. 
shooting in Virginia, 231. 
fire-shooting, 231. 
netting, 232. 
fish prey upon, 232. 
■where to shoot, 232. 
expense of shooting, 233. 
terms applicable to, 42. 
cooking, 474. 

Ycnt-feathers large in the, 35. 
Rallus Crepitans — • 

Clapper Rail or Mud Hen, 237. 
nomenclature and locality, 237. 
period of incubation, 238. 
where killed, 239. 
Eallus Elegans — Great Red-breasted Rail, 
235. 
King Rail, Fresh-water Marsh 

Hen, 235. 
description, 235. 
history, habits, and haunts, 236. 
Raspail, Monsieur — 

theoi-y of serpent-charming, 74. 
Rattlesnake, curious experiments with, 

73. 
Reed-Bird— Rice-Bunting, 210. 
Emberiza Oryzivora, 210. 
history and nomenclature, 210, 
description, 211. 
migrations—their feeding-grounds, 

211. 
shooting, 212. 
netting, 213. 
compared with Ortolan of Europe, 

213. 
anecdote, 218. 
progress south, 214. 
curious facts, 215. 
as a cage-bird, 215. 



Reed-Bird — continued. 

change of plumage, 216. 
terms applicable to, 42. 
cooking, 474. 
Red-headed L»uck, 308. 
Red-head, 308. 
Anas ferina, 308. 
habits and haunts, 303. 
Red-headed Widgeon of England, 
308. 
Register, extract from a friend's shoot- 
ing, 112. 
Retriever — liow trained, 119. 

difficulty of training a, 119. 
good ones very scarce, 119. 
author's views of, 119. 
Rice- Bunting, (see Reed-Bird,) 210. 
Richards, Westley, gun-maker, 439. 

bill of a gun purchased of, 440. 
Rifle, shooting with a, 50. 

exploits of the Toomers with, 50. 
killing Pigeons with, 50. 
striking cricket-balls with, 50. 
exploits of our backwoodsmen with, 

50. 
German jagers use, 51. 
killing Squirrels with, 51. 

Wild Turkeys with, 51. 
exploits of keel-boatmen with, 51. 
driving the nail with, 51. 
snufiing the candle witli, 51. 
shooting apples from the head with, 
51. 
Ring-Plover, 251. 
Rock Island — 

numbers of Partridges on, 110. 
Rocky Mountains — 

Canvas-back on the streams of 
the, 270. 
Romans, festive boards of the, 464. 
Rufi"ed Grouse, (see Grouse.) 
Rumford, Count — comments on cooking, 

458. 
Rump, Bill, celebrated Rail-pusher, 227. 
Russia, Snipe in, 195. 
Rusting, to prevent, of barrels, 899. 
how to remove, 399. 

s 

Sargeant, Dr. R. Perct — 

observation on habits of Wild 

Turkey, 130. 
further observation, 140. 
Sauces or gravies, 479. 
Savages — their gluttony, 463. 
Scapulars, shoulder-feathers, 34. 
Schwarz, Berthold, discoverer of gun- 
powder, 406. 
invention of gunpowder attri- 
buted to, 431. 



XXXVl 



INDEX. 



Schwarz, Berthold — conlinued. 

monumeut erected at Frei- 
burg to, 432. 
Scientia popinae, 462. 
Sciurus Migrntorius, (see Squirrel.) 
Season of 1855 and '56 — 

particularly destructive to game, 

91. 
numbers of birds as well as ani- 
mals destroyed in consequence 
of the snow during, 91. 
Secondaries, second quill-featliers, 34. 
Serpents, conflicts with Partridges, 72. 
charming birds, 73, 
popular fallac}', 73. 
Dr. Oilman's expei'iments with, 

73. 
venomous, 73. 
King, 73. 

Raspail's theory, 74. 
Setters — early in the season, 113. 

suffer for want of water, 113. 
Shoemaker, Dr. — 

cases of poisoning by eating 

Grouse, 78. 
remedies used bj', 78. 
Shooting, art of, on the wing, 47. 
soon acquired, 47. 
first grand desideratum, 47. 
nicety in, 50. 

carried to great perfection, 50. 
exploits of Richard and Edward 

Toomer, 50. 
particular instructions for, 52. 
when the bird should be killed, 

53. 
in thickets, 54. 
be cool, when, 54. 
requires patience and practice, 

54. 
when the bird is crossing, 58. 
too low — too high, 59. 
both eyes open, 60. 
in America different from that 
of England, 62. 
Shore-birds, terms applicable to, 42. 
Short, Dr. — exploits among the Snipe, 63. 
Shot-bags, shot-pouches, 372. 

most suitable kind, 372. 
Siberia, Snipe in. 194. 
Sickle-bill, (see Curlew.) 
ih\vV. (see Battery.) 

SViDPer, J. S. — comments on food of 
P.artridges. 77. 
account of good shooting, 111. 
fanciful notion of the feeding of 

Woodcocks, 172. 
comments on ambition of killing 

for quantity, 183. 
reprobates this cruel ambition, 
184. 



Skipwith, Mr. — 

captures Sora Rails at Sea, 220 
Sleep — how necessary, 499. 

should be moderate, 499. 

less sleep in warm weather, 499. 

some require more than others, 

499. 
Napoleon required little, 499. 
Frederick the Great required 
little, 499. 
Smith, Dr., interesting letter of, 98. 

his views of Partridges retaining 

scent, 98. 
subject fully discussed, 98. 
Smyrna, British cruisers visited, 187 
Snap-shot, when most successful, 60. 
a disagreeable companion, 61. 
shooting with both eyes open, 61, 
Snipe — terms appicable, 41. 

sudden and irregular flight of, 49. 
zigzag flight of the, 62. 
abundant on borders of Mud 

Creek, 63. 
white, 84. 
Snipe, 194, 

Scolopax Wilsonii, 194. 
Scolopax gallinago, 194. 
AVilson's Snipe, 194. 
English Snipe, 194. 
widely disseminated, 194. 
varieties, 195. 

why called AVilson's Snipe, 195. 
resembles the English viiriety, 

195. 
description, 19G. 
location and food, 197. 
incubation, young brood, 199. 
return to the South, 199. 
restless spirit, 200. 
perception of cold, 200. 
voracious feeders, 201. 
seldom found in the woods, 201, 
difficult to shoot, 201. 
shooting anecdote, 204. 
during rainy weather, 206. 
dogs for hunting, 206. 
fly against the wind. 207. 
advantages of shooting, 208. 
white or pied, 208. 
cooking, 472. 
Snipe, Red-breasted, 256, 

Scolopax Noveboracensis, 256. 
Quail Snipe, 256. 
habits and haunts, 256. 
flesh and food, 256. 
how and when killed, 256. 
des-cription, 257. 
Snow, heavy fall of, 91. 

its fearful consequences, 92. 
Sora, (see Rail.) 
Sore throat, how to treat a, 508 



i 



INDEX. 



XXXVU 



Spain — 

introduction of Wild Turkey from, 
137. 

gun-barrels imported from, 447. 
Spaniels, terms applicable to, 40. 

verses in memory of a, 192. 
Sporting, terms used in, 40. 

general ignoi'ance of these terms, 
40. 

easily acquired, 40. 

writers on, 40> 
Sportsmen — 

should be careful of birds in win- 
ter, 69. 

hints to, 87. 

practical observations for, 88. 

should keep cool, 105. 

during rainy weather, 105. 

should not be too eager, 107. 

should refresh themselves, 118. 

directions for, to hunt dogs, 118. 

should flush the game, 118. 
Sportsman's Beef, how made, 481. 
Sprain, how to be treated, 504. 
Sprigtail, 324. 

Pintail, 324. 

Anas acuta, 324. 

handsome duck, 324. 

habits and haunts, 324. 

abundant in England, 324 
. description, 324. 
Spring Cramp — how used, 381. 
Squirrels, 350. 

varieties, habits, locality, 351. 

general characteristics, 351. 

activity and strength, 353. 

captivity of, 354. 

other characteristics, 355, 

enemies of, shooting, 356, 

Barking, flesh of, 357. 
Squirrel, Gray, 358. 

migratory, 358. 

dimensions, locality, 358. 

habits and migrations, 359. 

cooking, 484. 
Staley, Andrew, shooting in company 

mth, 130. 
Stirley, John, White Snipe in possession 

of, 208. 
Stock, gun, shape of, 402. 

various styles of, 403. 
Stockton, H. H., remarkable Partridge 

shot by, 84. 
Stockton, Commodore — 

experiments on bursting of guns, 
418. 
recoil of guns, 
418, 424. 
Stockings, shooting, 396. 
St. Ildephonso — 

Woodcocks feeding in aviary of, 173. 



St. Lawrence River, Reed-Birds on, 

211. 
St. Louis, gauiv s^iipped from, 110. 
St. Petersburg — frozen markets, 467. 
Striker of a gun, 377. 
Stone Curlew, (see Willet.) 
Summer Duck, 32(3. 

Anas sponsa, 326. 

Wood Uuck, 32(j. 

beautiful fowl, 326. 

delights in the small streams, 326 

description, 327. 
Surface-boat, (see Battery.) 
Swallows, the primary feathers in, 34. 
shooting, a mere knack, 50. 
Swan, American, 337. 

Cygnus American, 337. 
Swan, Trumpeter, 337. 

Cygnus bucinator, 337. 

habits, haunts, 337. 

easily domesticated, 338. 
Swans, a whiteness of, 42. 
Sweden. Snipes in, 195. 
Sykes, Mr. — patent powder-fiask, 370. 

T 

Tapahannock makshes — 

Partridges shot on, 78. 
Tarsi, shanks of the legs, 35. 
Taxidermy — 

art of preserving and mounting 

birds, 484. 
directions for skinning birds, 485. 
Lee, Mrs., work on, 488. 
Brown, Captain, work on, 488. 
preserving egg-shelk, 489L 
Teal, Blue-winged, 317. 
Anas discors, 317. 
habits and haunts, 317- 
,- their food, 318. 

how best cooked, 318. 
description, 318. 
Teal, Green-winged, 319, 
Anas crecca, 319. 
habits and characteristics, 319. 
Telltale Snipe. 258. 
Godwit, 258. 

Greater Yellow-shanks, 258. 
Scolopax vociferus, 258. 
Tennessee — 

RuflFed Grouse in barrens of, 

143. 
Pinnated Grouse in barrens of, 
143. 
Tertiary, third quill-feathers, 34. 

their position and character, 34. 
Tetrao umbellus, 143. 
cupido, 156. 
Canadensis, 164. 
saliceti. 164. 



XXXVlll 



INDEX. 



Tezcucan monarchs — 

consumed large numbers of Tur- 
keys, 138. 
Thorpe, T. B., Woodcock fire-hunting by, 

188. 
Tibia, thigh-bone, 85. 
Toomer, Richard and Edward — their 
wonderful exploits with gun and 
rifle, 50. 
Turkey, Wild, 126. 

Meleagris gallipavo, 126. 

desci-iption, 127. 

natural history of, 129. 

in former times, 129. 

their near extinction, 129. 

found in Virginia, 130. 

found in other States, 130. 

Dr. Sargent's remarks on, 130. 

neighborhood of Natchez, 131. 

incubation, 131. 

very salacious, their conflicts, 131. 

Audubon's comments, 131. 

preparing the nest, 132. - 

Dr. Sargent's remarks, 132. 

the action of the hen, 132. 

conceal their eggs, 182. 

number of eggs, 188. 

young brood, 133. 

their future life, 184. 

but one brood, 134. 

condition of the males, 184. 

food of the, 134. 

their introduction into Spain, 
187. 

their introduction into England, 
137. 

why called Turkey, 187. 

a valuable fowl, 137. 

Buffon on the origin, 138. 

referred to by Prescott, 138. 

domesticated by the Aztecs, 128. 

consumed by the Tezcucan mon- 
archs, 138. 

trapping, ]38. 

shooting, 139. 

good dog for hunting, 140. 

run with amazing celerity, 140. 

easily killed, 140. 

when roosting, 140. 

Dr. Sargent's remarks, 140. 

decoying, 140. 

enemies of, 141. 
Turks, a band of pirates, 136. 

tufts of hair worn by the, 187. 

u 

Ude, Louis Eustache — 

on the pleasures of the table, 465. 
Uffano — remarks on the use of gun- 
powder, 429. 



V 

Valisineria Americana — 

Venison soup, how made, 481. 

Viellot, statement of, respecting the 

habit of Woodcocks carrying their 

young on their back, 175. 
Virginia, Partridge-shooting in, 110. 

Wild Turkey in, 180. 
Vitellius, feast given by, 464. 
Vitney, King of China, uses cannon, 480. 

w 

I 1 

AVadding or Wads, various kinds, 365. 1 

caution as to use of patent, 8(J6. T 

with anointed edges, 868. 

felt and paper, 368. 
Walker's percussion caps, 875. 

their superiority, 375. 
Walter Scott — account of a faithful dog, 

45. 
Walton, Sir Isaac, followers of, 326. 
Washer, or washing-rod, 369. 
Wetherill, George D.— 

Partridges presented by, 74. 

large bird shot by, 78. 

large Woodcock in possession of, 
169. 
West Indies, Reed-Bird in, 214. 

Snipe in, 194. 
Western Hemisphere — 

Wild Turkey indigenous to, 136. 
Wheel-lock goune invented, 482. 
Whewer, Whim, or Widgeon of Ensrland, 

812. 
Whimbrel, Scolopax phfepus of Enghinu, 

244. 
Whistling Plover, Charadrius apricarius, 

248. 
White thickening, 479. 
Widgeon, Anas Americana, 311. 

Bald-pates, 311. 

companion of the Canvas-back, 
311. 

not inferior in flavor, 311. 

locality, 311. 

description, 812. 

resembles the English Widgeon, 
812. 

how pursued in England, 813. 

easily domesticated, 813. 

at the North and South, 313. 
Wild Fowl and Wild-fowl shooting, 

peculiar construction of the rump 
feathers of, 85. 

terms applicable to, 42, 

a flock of — a couple of, 42. 

a team of — a badelynge of, 42. 

how pursued in America, 259. 

no childs' sport, 259. 



INDEX. 



XXXIX 



Wild Fowl and Wild-fowl shooting — 

paraphernalia necessary for, 260. 

use of liquor in, 12G0. 

present and fnture numbers of, 

on Chesapeake Bay, 305. 
cooking, 470. 
Wild celery, food of the Canvas-back, 270. 
Wild Drake, (see Mallard.) 
Willet — Scolopax semipalmata, 2o3. 

Seniipahnated Snipe, or Stone 

Curlew, 253. 
habits and haunts, 253. 
not known in England, 254. 
period and place of incubation, 

254. 
their food, 254. 
character of their flesh, 254. 
description, 255. 
aifectiun for each other, 255. 
Willow Grouse, 104. 

Wilson's anecdote of Ruffed Grouse, 146. 
Snipe, Scolopax Wilsonii, 194, 
Plover, 251. 
'Winniwarter and Gersheim of Vienna — 
their substitute for percussion 
caps, 375. 
Wing, bastard, description of, 34. 
lesser coverts of the, 34. 
greater coverts of the, 34, 
to stop the hemorrhage of, 400. 
to pinion or amputate a wounded, 
491. 
Wisconsin — 

abundance of game in, 64. 
Venison in, 64. 
Prairie Chickens in, 64. 
Pheasants, Partridges, and AVil 1 

Turkeys in, 64. 
immense shipment of game from, 
64. 
Wolves abundant in Iowa, 63. 

great numbers destroyed, 91. 
Woodcock — 

terms applicable to, 41. 
startling flight of the, 52. 
cooking, 472. 
Woodcock — Scolopax minor, 166. 

attractive to the sportsman, 167. 



Woodcock — continued. 

nomenclature, 168. 

description, 168. 

compared with the English variety, 
168. 

height, one species, 168. 

habits, migrations, 170. 

formation of the head, 170. 

imperfect vision, 170. 

feeding and food, 171. 

vulgar notion, 172. 

as seen in the aviary of St. Ilde- 
phonso, 173. 

incubation, 174. 

singular manoeuvres, 175. 

carrying their young — two broods, 
175. 

proper time for shooting, 17G. 

game-laws on the subject, 177. 

ingenuity to conceal their youug,, 
180. 

resorts of, 182. 

foolish ambition of killing, 18<5; 

disappearance of, 185. 

flight of, 187. 

fire-hunting, description of, 18"^ 

nets and snares to take, 189. 

dogs for shooting, 190. 

shooting in England, 191. 

bells used for hunting, 191. 
Woodpecker — 

peculiar formation of the rump- 
feathers of, 34. 
Wrench, nipple or pivot, 383. 

description and best kind, 383 



Yellow-Shanks Snipe — 

Scolopax flavipes, 258. 

Youatt's work on the Dog, 43. 

great celebrity as a writer, 44, 
work beautifully illustrated, 4-* 
edited by the author, 44. 



ZlZANIA AQUATICA, 222. 



\ 





CHAPTER I. 



EXPOSITION OF THE TECHNICAL TERMS USED BY ORNITHOLOGISTS. 



ITHOUT a cursory knowledge, at least, of 
the technical terms employed by Orni- 
thologists in their delineations of the 
feathered race, we cannot expect all our 
readers to understand or appreciate the 
scientific descriptions which we have in- 
serted of the game-birds of our country; 
it therefore appears to us that we cannot 
do better than devote the first few pages 
of this volume to the full elucidation of 
these appellatives, which, in fact, are the A B C of Ornithology, 

the Alpha and Omega of the branch. 

3 33 




34 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

This information, so important to the intelligent sportsman, 
can be easily and quickly acquired by reference to the accom- 
panying drawing, in connection with the explanations following 
immediately after. 

1, Auriculars, the ear coverts. — The soft feathers that cover 
the organs of hearing. 

2, 2. The bastard iving, consisting of three or five feathers, 
resembling the quills of the true wing; they are placed on a 
small bone rising from the wrist-joint of the wing. The bastard 
wing assists in flight by keeping the wing from turning upwards, 
and contracts the points of the wing in a downward and backward 
position to that of the course of the bird through the air. 

3, 3. The lesser coverts of the wings. — These are the featheri 
which are found in successive rows upon the wings; those on 
the inside are termed under coverts, and are much less regarded 
by ornithologists as a means of distinction than the others. 

4, 4. The greater coverts. — The wing feathers lying under the 
lesser coverts ; they are much larger and stronger than the latter. 

5, 5. The primaries. — Large quill feathers taking their growth 
from below the wrist-joint. The length and proportion of the 
feathers control, in a wide degree, the movements of the bird in 
the air. The nearer the longer primary quill approaches the! 
body, the more dexterous and beautiful will be the motion of 
the bird when on the wing. The ITawJcs, Swallotvs, and various 
other birds of rapid flight, that seize their prey in mid air, 
have the longest primary feather very near the body, and con- 
sequently are enabled to turn and twist themselves with great 
facility. 

6, 6. The secondaries, or second quill feathers, spring from the 
second bone of the wing. When the wing is extended, they fre- 
quently appear like a continuation of the jjrimaries. 

7, 7. The tertiary, or third quill feathers, also arise from the 
second bone, but much nearer the elbow-joint. 

8, 8. The scapulars, or shoulder feathers, are formed by the 
soft and downy feathers that cover the shoulder-bones, and are 



I 



I 



TECHNICAL TEHMS. 35 

serviceable only as a i^rotection to the parts which they sur- 
round ; .they unite without any regularity with the plumage of 
the back and wings. 

9. The rump feathers arid upper-tail coverts. — These feathers 
are the continuation of the covering of the back, and are strong 
in proportion to the peculiar habits of the bird. In the Wood- 
pecker tribe, for instance, these feathers are very strong and 
unusually long, as they make constant use of the tail as a 
support and aid when climbing the trunks of trees; and so 
it is with some water-fowl not webfooted, but obliged frequently 
to take flight from the water. The tail feathers in these last- 
mentioned birds afford the greatest assistance in springing into 
the air. 

10. The vent feathers and under-tail coverts, that extend from 
the anus, or vent, to the tail underneath. These feathers are 
much longer in some tribes of birds than others. Those that 
have a constant habit of flirting up their tails — like, for example, 
the Rallus Carolinus, and several species of small shore-birds — 
have the vent feathers unusually well developed. 

The tail feathers are various in size and numbers, and are 
generally the most ornamental part of a bird. The tail per- 
forms the most necessary office in the navigation of the bird 
through the air; in fact, it is the rudder by which its course is 
determined, and acts in concert with the will of the bird as freely 
as a ship obeys her helm. 

11. Loral space. — The sp)ace between the bill and eye. 

12. Frons. — The forehead. 

13. Corona. — Crown of the head. 

14. Occiput. — The hind part of the head. 

15. Flexure. — Bend of the wing. 

16. Tarsi. — Shanks of the legs. 

17. T^5^a.— Thigh. 

The upper and loiver bills are called the superior and inferior 
maxilla, or upper and lower mandibles. 

Iris — irides. — The colored circle surrounding the pupil of the eye. 



56 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN 



Mentum. — The chin. 

Gruttur. — The throat. 

Collum. — The neck. 

Pectus. — The breast. 

In measurement, the total lencth means from pomt of bill to 
the end of middle tail feathers. Length of the wings means 
from the bend of the wing to the end of the longest quill 
feather. 








CHAPTER II. 



SENSATION IN FEATHERS. 




HE keenest sense of feeling through the 

medium of the plumage is indispensably 

necessary to the well-being of all the 

feathered race. 

The feathers, it is true, in themselves, 

like several other portions of the body, 

such, for example, as the nails, claivs, 

beak, and hoofs, have no real consciousness 

or actual perception of the sense of touch ; still, they are enabled 

by the nicest possible organization to convey the most delicate 

impressions to those functions of the animal economy that do feel. 

If such a "wise provision of Nature did not exist, what, we 

might ask, would become of all the numerous nocturnal birds 

which seek their food only during the dark hours of night? The 

whole tribe most indubitably would soon be killed oflF by striking 

themselves against the various obstacles that they necessarily 

encounter in their midnight rambles. This acute sensitiveness on 

the part of feathers to outward impressions is not, perhaps, as 

37 



88 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

essential for those birds which fly only in the broad daylight as it 
is to the numerous variety of owls, bats, &c. that seek their 
prey solely during the lonely hours of darkness. 

Nevertheless, a certain degree of this delicacy of perception is 
absolutely requisite even for them, to secure their safety while per- 
forming rapid flights through the thickets and forests which they 
most generally inhabit or take shelter in. This, then, being the 
case, is it not reasonable to infer that the feathers should at all 
times be in the highest state of perfection? This physical con- 
dition, however, could not be preserved if they were not shed or 
renewed from time to time, as they necessarily would become soiled, 
dried, broken, and ultimately totally unfit for this nice service by 
the constant exposure they are subjected to, as well as the many 
accidents they must, from their mode of life, encounter. 

To remedy these evils, or rather to make provision for such 
casualties, Nature, ever provident in all her works, very wisely 
ordains that the feathered race shall moult, or, in other words, 
dofi" their plumage entire, once or tAvice a year. The simple 
shedding of the feathers is not the only precaution which a bene- 
ficent Providence has established for the preservation of these, 
the most extensive and beautiful portion of his creations. For 
we may here also notice the remarkable changes that take place 
in the tints of the plumage, more especially in those birds which 
remain in the northern latitudes during the long and bleak 
winters. Many of them, from the most sombre hues of spring 
and summer, become pied, or even pure white: thus cunningly 
adapting themselves to the pervading color of the objects by 
which they are surrounded, they are the better able to conceal 
themselves from the attacks of their many prowling enemies 
that are now driven to great extremes for food. The protec- 
tion afforded birds, as well as many of the smaller quadrupeds, 
in this alteration of the color of their plumage and pelage, from 
the aggressions of their more powerful foes, is not the only 
benefit Avhich results from this wise providence; as the chilling 
efi"ects of constant exposure to the excessive cold of those hibernal 



I 



SENSATION IN FEATHERS. 39 

regions are somewhat abated by the transition to white, from the 
well-established fact that a surface i:)urely white reflects heat far 
more copiously than a dark one ; and consequently it is not diffi- 
cult for us to infer that, in like manner, it prevents any undue 
waste of the animal heat by radiation. 

The moulting of birds is very gradual, and few of them are 
ever so bare of feathers as to prevent them from taking wing, 
and even flying long distances. 

The time of shedding the feathers varies in the different species 
and in different climes ; some moult late in the summer, some in 
the early autumn, and some in the early spring. 

The summer or autumnal moult is always the mast complete ; 
the perennial is generally only a change of color of some portions 
of the plumage, and not a thorough shedding of tlic feathers. 

Those birds, as Avell as water-fowd, which extend their migrations 
far to the North, for the purposes of procreation, receive their 
fresh plumage after the period of incubation has entirely passed 
by, so that they come out fresh and entirely freed from all the 
filth and vermin which their previous sedentary occupations may 
have entailed on them. 








CHAPTER III. 



SPORTING TERMS. 



HE technical terms adopted by writei's 
on field-amusements should be perfectly 
familiar to every sportsman, and ought to 
be made use of on all occasions when rural 
diversions are the subject of conversation. 
Many of our sporting acquaintances are 
most wofully deficient in a knowledge 
of these designations, and consequently 
make the most egregious blunders in 
their vain efforts to appear au fait in all that pertains to the dog 
and gun. A few minutes of study and reflection, my patient 
friends, Avill make you all proficients in this branch of Orismology ; 
therefore remain no longer in ignorance, even if it be bliss. 




TERMS APPLICABLE TO DOGS. 

A brace of pointers or setters. A couple of spaniels. 

A leash of " " 

40 



A couple and a half of spaniels. 



SPORTING TERMS. 41. 

1. Toho! 7. Seek dead! find dead bird! 

2. Do'.yn charge ! 8. Fetch ! 

3. Back or heel ! 9. Drop, sir ! 

4. Steady ! steady there ! 10. To mouth a bird. 

5. Goon! on! 11. To run wild. 

6. Hold up ! up ! 

EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE TERMS. 

1. To make pointers or setters come to a stand. 

2. " " " lie down while loading. 

3. " " " go behind. 

4. " " " oareful Avhen game is about. 

5. " " " vise — a term of encouragement. 

6. " " " huld his head up so as to wind the game. 

7. " " " look for a dead bird. 

8. " " " bring the dead bird. 

9. " " " deliver up the dead bird. 

10. To bite or chew a bird severely. 

11. To run heedlessly, without caution. 

By a pair is understood two of the same kind or species united or paired by 
nature, male and female. Therefore, how evidently wrong it is to say a pair 
of pointers, or a paiv of setters! 

By a couple, or brace, is understood the involuntary union of two individual 
companions of the same species, either by a chain, noose, or tic. 

PARTRIDGES. 

A covey of partridges or birds. A brace and a half of partridges or 

A brace of " " birds. 

To spring or flush " " 

GROUSE. 

A brood of gronse. A leash of grouse. 

A pack of " To raise a " 

A brace cf " '■'' 

WOODCOCKS. 

A couple of woodcocks. A flight or fall of woodcocks. 

A couple and a half of woodcocks. To flush or start a woodcock. 

SNIPE OR PLOVER. 

A. vvisp or walk of snipes. A couple and a half of snipes or 

A wing or congregation of plovers. plovers. 

A couple of snipes or plovers. To spring a snipe or plover. 



42 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



SMALL WILD-FOfl^L, OR SHORE-BIRDS, OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. 

A flock of. A couple and a half of. 
A couple of. 

REED-BIRDS AND RAILS. 

A llock of reed-birds. To get up a rail. 

A dozen of reod-birds. To mark a rail. 
Five, ten, fifteen, or twenty rails. 



A brace of h tires. 
A leash of hares. 



To start or move a hare 



LARGE WILD-FOWL. 

A flock, team, or badelynge of Avild A flock of teal. 

ducks. A gang of brent. 

A companjr or trip of wild ducks. A whiteness of swans. 
A gaggle or flock of geese. 





CHAPTER IV. 



LOGS. 




OR the most generiil and useful informa- 
tion regarding Dogs, we beg to refer 
our readers to the American edition of 
"Youatt," published under our super- 
vision, a short time since, by Lea & 
Blanchard. This valuable work con- 
tains nearly all that is requisite for a 
sportsman to know in reference to these 
interesting animals; and the enterprising 
publishers deserve high commendation, and 
the thanks of the whole sporting community, for the very excellent 
manner in which they have put it through the press. No sportsman, 
or even admirer of the faithful dog, should be without a copy of 
this beautiful and instructive volume ; in fact, every one who reads 

it will find an abundance of interesting matter in its pages. 

43 




44 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

The author, as a veterinary surgeon, had for many years no 
rival in England ; his close observation, unremitted industry, and 
extensive practice in the veterinary art, enabled him, during a 
series of years, to lay up a store of information on these subjects 
that no other individual could have possibly collected. Youatt's 
attention, either from choice or the force of circumstances, was 
particularly directed to the study of the history and pathology of 
the canine race ; and sportsmen cannot be too thankful for the 
much useful matter that this practical writer has embodied in his 
work ; and which, by-tlie-by, was only given to the public a short 
time before the close of an honorable life, the greater portion of 
which was spent in the noble effort to alleviate the suiferings, 
lighten the labors, exalt the position, and teach the inestimable 
worth, of our domestic animals. 

Much valuable pathological information, as well as other general 
matter, will be found in Mr. Youatt's book, which, upon the whole, 
renders it the most complete work that has ever been dedicated to 
this faithful animal ; and, ns we said before, should be in the 
hands of every lover of the dog. The volume is beautifully 
embellished with numerous spirited engravings, which not a little 
enhance its value in the eyes of every one. We do not intend our 
observations as a puff, either for ourselves as connected with the 
publication of the work, or for the benefit of those who have 
brought it out, but we wish rather to draw the attention of the 
reading public generally to the examination of the volume, being 
convinced that it needs only to be known to be properly appre- 
ciated; and by thus causing it to be appreciated we are richly 
repaid in the pleasant reflection that we have done something to- 
wards elevating the condition of that animal which, above all others, 
owing to his untiring devotion and never-ceasing fidelity, should 
elicit the greatest kindness and best treatment from the hands of 
maukind. 

'i he dog, par excellence, may be considered the type of all that 
is noble and great; for, certainly, incorruptible fidelity, disin- 
terested attachment, and a never-ceasing desii-e to be useful to 



r 



DOGS. 45 



man, are attributes sufficiently high in their moral bearing to en- 
title the possessor to this exalted position from among all other 
animals. From the remotest ages of the world down to the 
present time, we find the dog the intinuite associate of man, the 
protector of his habitation, the guardian of his flocks. No 
neglect, no ill-treatment, can drive him from our doors ; he bears 
every oppression, forgives every blow, and obeys every command. 
As from instinct, the dog abandons his own personal liberty, 
shuns even the members of his own race, and associates himself 
entirely with man as his dearest friend ; and no cause, however 
great, is sufficient, in his estimation, to break asunder these volun- 
tary ties or destroy this beloved connection. IJe asks but a trifle 
for his proffered services : a kind word, an occasional smile, a 
fragment of our abundance, or a mere niito of our poverty, is all 
that he requires. The extremes of luxury or indigence are alike 
the same to him, so that he enjoys the companionship and kind- 
ness of his allotted master, let him be a prince or a beggar. For 
his master alone he leaps for joy when spoken to ; on him alone 
he fondles when caressed ; for him alone he grieves when absent ; 
exults at his return, and even in the sadness of his heart pines 
away over his deserted grave. 



"Dark green was the spot, 'mid the brown mountain Leather, 

Where the pilgrim of nature lay stretched in decay; 
Like the coi'pse of an outcast, abandoned to weather. 

Till the mountain winds wasted the tenautless clay ; 
Nor yet quite deserted, though lonely extended, 
For, faithful in death, his mute favorite attended, 
The much-loved remains of her master defeiidc-d, 

And chased the hill-fox and the raven away. 
How long didst thou think that his silence was slumber! 

When the wind waved his garments, how oft didst thou start! 
How many long days and long weeks didst thou number 

Ere he faded before thee, the friend of thy heart!"* 



* A young man lost his life by tailing from one of the precipices of the Helvellyn 
Mountains. Three months aftei wards his i-emains were discovered at the bottom 
of a ravine, and his faithful dog, almost a skeleton, still guarding them. Sir 
Walter Scott beautifully describes the scene as above — Voiiatt on the Dog. 



46 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



How different is all this from the attachment or submission that 
we witness in the other domesticated animals, all of which, we 
may say, have been reclaimed with much trouble, and enslaved 
contrary to their own will ! They submit alone to our arbitrary j 
wishes through the fear of punishment or the hope of reward; 
they greedily partake of our proffered food, and perform in return 
their apportioned labors: these forced duties at an end, they 
neither court the society of man nor manifest any particular 
pleasure at his presence or pain at his absence; and if left to 
themselves, would «oon relapse into their original state of freedom 
and indepenaence. 





CHAPTER V. 



ART OF SHOOTING ON THE WING 



"All the spoi'ts of the field are delightful, 1 own, 

But none can with shooting compare ; 
'Tis a joy that entices the king from his throne, 

'Tis a joy that the wisest may share. 
The voice of the hound on the breeze of the morn. 

The note of the bugle, may please ; 
The song of the wild bird is sweet from the thorn, 

But the gun has more music than these." 



'^ 

-7-^ 



ever 



OST persons unconversant with the use of 
the gun are naturally led to believe that 
there is some great mystery or some 
extraordinary sleight-of-hand work con- 
nected with the art of shooting birds 
when on the wing. This opinion is often 
so firmly engrafted on the minds of cer- 
tain sensitive individuals that they are 

unwilling even to make a trial of their own dexterity in 

47 




48 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

this way, feeling satisfied that they could never arrive at anyi 
degree of perfection in an art so difficult to acquire. Or, if thej 
should be tempted to venture in the field with some one of theii 
associates more experienced in the use of the gun, expecting a 
day's enjoyment, they become so discouraged at their want of 
success, as well as perplexed at the inability of their sporting 
companion to give them any definite or systematic instruction for 
shooting, that they not unfrequently withdraw from the field 
completely mortified and disgusted with every thing appertaining 
to the sport ; when, by a little perseverance and a few well-timed 
hints from their companion, they might soon have arrived at that 
pinnacle of fame to which all sportsmen aspire ; we mean — a good 
shot ! 

"VVe ourselves do not pretend to be a great shot, but, on the 
contrary, are very modest in our claims upon this point ; but 
because we cannot kill every bird we fire at, that is no reason why 
we may not instruct others, so that they, by longer practice, may 
arrive at this degree of excellence, if they wish it, but to which 
we have neither the ambition to aim nor the time at our disposal 
to acquire. It is no uncommon circumstance in the study of the 
arts and sciences for the pupil to excel the master; and we 
suppose, or rather we flatter ourselves, that we may yet look 
forward to encountering some one of our own pupils in the field 
who will not hesitate to snuh our nose whenever an opportunity 
ofi"ers. If such should be the case, we shall be happy in the 
knowledge of having done some good for our country, and more 
particularly for the sports of the field. 

The first grand desideratum to be considered by the pupil is 
the possession of a good gun, of which, however, we will speak 
more particularly under the chapter on fire-arms. The next great 
acquisition to be sought after is coolness and deliberation, for 
without these qualities you might as well leave the gun in its case, 
and walk into the fields with a dog at your heels, and a shooting- 
cracker in your hand ready to throw at the birds as they rise 
from the stubble, in the vain hope of frightening them to death 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 49 

by the noise of the explosion, as to fire a gun over them without 
perfect self-possession and composure. Without coolness and 
deliberation, a young shooter, or even an old shooter, can hope to 
accomplish but little in the field. In fact, we have seen the best 
of shots miss bird after bird during a Avhole day's excursion, 
owing to some unexpected but perhaps trifling occurrence which 
had interrupted their natural equanimity of temper, and thereby 
destroyed that coolness and deliberation which are so essential 
for the proper handling of the fowling-piece. Success in shooting, 
all the paraphernalia being equally good, is dependent in a great 
measure upon coolness and deliberation ; the first and most import- 
ant step, therefore, to be taken by a young shooter, is the resolu- 
tion to acquire as soon as possible a perfect control over all his 
movements during the excitement consequent upon the springing 
of a covey of partridges, the whir of a woodcock, or the sudden 
and irregular flight of a snipe. This mastery over his feelings 
being once acquired, there will be no difficulty in the way of a 
rapid progress in the art of shooting on the wing. Having 
selected, with the assistance of a sporting friend, a gun, made by 
the most approved gunsmith, practise the handling of it in your 
own room; be sure that it comes up to the shoulder right, and 
that the eye runs along the barrel with facility. Bring it up 
to your shoulder ever and anon; take sight along its barrel at 
some small object placed in the farthest corner of the room : a 
red wafer, or a piece of colored paper stuck on the wall, will 
answer this purpose. By practising in this way for a short time, 
a certain degree of ease in the handling of the gun will be 
acquired, and then it will be as well to crack off a few caps by 
way of accustoming the ear and eye to the explosion, as also 
familiarizing the finger with the touch of the trigger. Having 
occupied the leisure moments of a few days in this kind of sport, 
it will be high time to sally forth to the fields and spend a portion 
of the day in practising the art of shooting on the wing any of 
the small birds that we may meet in our rambles over the country. 
Many young sportsmen exercise their skill upon swallows. 



50 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



But it is not a good practice, and cannot be attended with any 
particular benefit to tliem, as the swallow's flight is so entirely 
different from any known game-bird that one might soon become 
expert in killing these harmless but useful little creatures without! 
ever being able to bag a partridge, a woodcock, or a snipe. 

Swallows fly Avith considerable swiftness and great irregularity, 
^nd cannot be easily killed except when they stop or rather poise 
themselves for an instant in the air to seize their prey, and while 
in this position the veriest bungler that ever handled a gun can 
soon become expert in knocking them over. Any of the smaller 
and less interesting birds that fill the groves during the spring 
and autumn months have flights resembling that of partridges 
much more than that of the swallow does, and more improvement 
may be derived from shooting a few of them than the slaughter 
of one-half of all the swallows found about a large farm. For, 
after all, the shooting of swallows is nothing but a knack, acquired 
by a little observation and practice, just as any other kind of 
shooting or in fact sleight-of-hand work; but then it should bej 
remembered by the young aspirant that he may spend much labor 
and time both in acquiring this knack, without in the least benefit- 
ing himself so far as the shooting of partridges or any other kind 
of game-bird is concerned. 

Nicety in shooting exclusively at some particular objects, in 
some particular mode, may be carried to a degree of perfection 
scarcely to be conceived of, as witnessed in the feats of the bro- 
thers Toomer, as described by several English writers. 

Of these two celebrated marksmen, Blaine remarks that Richard 
and Edward Toomer, with their rifles and a single hall, killed 
eight pigeons out of twelve, shooting alternately; and one of the 
pigeons that did not drop, had a leg carried ofi" by the ball. They 
likewise with a single hall struck twice, out of four shots, a cricket- 
ball thrown into the air ; and Richard at a cricket-match, his gun 
being loaded with shot, struck the ball twelve successive times, 
when bowled by one of the sharpest bowlers in all England. Our 
backwoodsmen years ago brought rifle-shooting to so high a state i 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 51 

of excellency that their ordinary performances seemed marvellous 
even to the German Jagcrs, Avho have always heen esteemed the 
very best marksmen of the Old World. Killing with a single ball 
squirrels from the tops of the highest trees, as well as cutting off 
the head of a wild turkey or other large bird at the distance of 
one hundred yards or more when in full flight, was a common feat 
with these hardy huntsmen. In fact, so expert were the keel-boat- 
men of the Mississippi in handling the rifle, that they did not 
hesitate, in a spirit of playfulness, even at a long distance, to cut 
the pipe out of the hat-band of a companion, or unexpectedly 
upset a cup of whiskey that might at lunch-time be for the moment 
resting on some one's knee. Driving the nail at forty paces, 
snufiing the candle at fifty, and shooting an apple or other small 
objects from the heads of each other, were the favorite amuse- 
ments of these daring marksmen.* 

It is also not an uncommon circumstance to meet with persons 
who can lay a double-barrelled gun, cocked, on the ground, throw 
two pennies up in the air and strike them both, before touching 
the ground. This same degree of nicety in handling the gun and 
perfecting the eye may be acquired in pigeon-shooting, as wit- 
nessed in the wonderful exploits laid down under this head by 
numerous English authors, and as detailed from time to time of 
our own shooters in the columns of the Spirit of the Times. But 
all these various kinds of shooting, though exhibiting much skill 
and perfection in the art, will not qualify a person for taking the 
field with an experienced sportsman; as the killing of game is 
quite a difi'erent thing from knocking over the tame, quiet, and 
phlegmatic house-pigeon, that, rising from the trap with a certain 
degree of regularity, although with a sudden impetus imparted to 
it by the operations of the spring, and most frequently taking a 
bewildered though easy flight, is brought down with the greatest 
facility by those accustomed to its usual course of action at such 
times. 

* See Thorpe's Remembrances of the Mississippi. 



55 lewis's AMERICAN SP0RT5:JAN. 



1 



How tame, how vastly different is all this to the sudden and 
unlooked-for spring of the vigorous little partridge, as with a 
startling noise he bounces up from under our very feet, and, long 
before any save the initiated one can recover from his bewilder-l 
ment and bring his piece to bear upon the affrighted bird, has fairly 
soared far beyond his reach — yes, even beyond his sharpest vision. 
And then, again, the deep, sonorous, and still more perplexing 
"whir of the ruffed grouse, as he goes booming off through the 
entangled thickets bordering the mountain streams ; or the delve- 
resounding start of the lonely woodcock, as he rushes through 
the marshy brake, all in the full vigor and freshness of his native 
freedom ; or the still more confusing zigzag flight of the fickle 
snipe, as he springs wildly from the oozy marsh. 

The whirring noise consequent upon the springing of a covey or 
even of a single bird is not a little trying to the nerves of a 
young shot ; and it requires some considerable time to accustom his 
ears to this startling sound, which, however, will wear off by 
degrees, no matter how nervous he may be at first. When the 
dogs have come to a stand, advance noiselessly and with firmness 
towards the spot indicated, holding the gun cocked, and with the 
muzzle in such a position that its contents could not injure any 
one of the company, even if it should by any mishap go off before 
you have the proper range on the birds. Be careful, above all, 
not to shoot the dogs; which accident, by-the-by, has happened 
more than once to heedless beginners. When the birds are 
flushed, raise the gun with perfect coolness and deliberation; 
single out first one bird and then another, if you have a double- 
barrelled gun, as every sportsman should have, and be sure not to 
pull trigger upon either of them till they are well covey'ed. That! 
is, when looking down the barrel-plate, the eye, the sight, the 
point, and the bird, are all in the same line: this, then, is the 
moment to fire ; do not hesitate an instant ; do not dwell upon the 
object after it is once covered, or you will inevitably lose the point 
of sight, and the load will pass under the bird. 

The eye in a correct light is seldom wrong in its calculations,! 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 53 

seldom deceived as regards distances or positions ; seldom, in fact, 
at fault in any one particular ; it is to some one of the many other 
circumstances upon wliicli the proper handling of the fowling-piece 
is dependent that we must attribute the frequent habit of missing ; 
such, for example, as a want of self-possession, over-anxiety, care- 
less loading, hurry, nervousness, or some such causes. Be careful 
not to shut both eyes just at the instant of pulling the trigger, as 
some beginners do ; neither throw the muzzle of the gun up or 
down with a sudden jerk, but let it lie perfectly free in the grasp. 
By following these few instructions, although you may miss your 
bird over and over again during the first day's shooting, still, we 
are confident that you will attain in a very short space of time to 
some considerable cleverness in the art. When there is a fair and 
open shot and the bird not killed, you may depend upon it that it 
was not properly covered; or, if it was, the gun, by some imper- 
ceptible movement, must have been carried from its proper direc- 
tion at the instant of firing, or the bird might have perchance 
varied its straight course at the critical moment of being covered. 
One of these three things must have taken place provided the gun 
was loaded properly, otherwise the bird w^ould have inevitably been 
brought down. We do not pretend to say that every one on going 
for the first time into the field will acquire in an incredibly short 
time this beautiful accomplishment of shooting on the wing by the 
mere committing to memory of any set of rules for the handling 
of a gun. But, on the other hand, we must assure the novice that 
without pretty constant practice and great attention he will never 
attain the art; but when once acquired it is seldom lost, except 
temporarily, so long as the visual organs are perfect and tlie 
physical powers sufiiciently strong to carry him into the field in 
pm'suit of game. No doubt thousands of sportsmen arrive at 
great excellence in shooting without ever reading a line on the 
subject or receiving a word of advice from the more experienced; 
but still, their progress has been very slow and up-hill kind of 
work, and their object accomplished at last only by long practice 
and observation. We do not, however, wish our readers to under- 



54 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



stand that any one can acquire the art of shooting on the win^ 
without 'patience, loractice, and study, as we do not believe any' 
fiuch thing, and would be sorry to attempt the promulgation of 
such a fallacy. But we do assert that the young beginner will 
much sooner, and with much more pleasure to himself, arrive at 
this desirable end, by giving heed to the experience of those who 
have gone before him, no matter whether the instruction be im- 
parted orally or by means of the pen. That there are certain 
fundamental rules for acquiring this accomplishment no one will 
deny; and these rules should be made as simple and as few as 
possible ; in fact, reduced down to a few words of caution, which 
m.ay be embodied in the following line : — Be cool and deliberate, 
and never draw the trigger till the bird is ivell covered. We do 
not wish to bother the novice with a long array of written instruc- 
tions for shooting, as information obtained in this way is too often 
a mere matter of rote, and cannot be of any great practical utility ; 
we desire, however, to impress upon his memory a few short rules 
that will secure him from the commission of many faults and pre- 
vent him from falling into the common errors of most beginners. 
This end being accomplished, we abandon him to the practical 
operations of the field, which of themselves will soon make him 
skilful, if he possess any of that aptness for sport which seems in- 
herent in many of those who follow the dog and gun as a source 
of the most healthful and exhilarating amusement. 

Although by strictly adhering to the golden rule, be cool and 
deliberate, and never draw the trigger till the bird is well covered, 
the novice without doubt will miss many birds, as they will often 
get beyond the reach of his shot long before he has fairly covered 
them, more particularly if shooting in thickets or woods, never- 
theless, he will find, at the conclusion of the day, that he has not 
made out so very bad, and, we can assure him, much better than 
if he had shot at every bird before it had flown ten steps from the 
spot whence it sprang. To-be-sure, he will often feel mortification 
and disappointment at the sight of a partridge sailing off untouched 
by his fire, although well covered by the gun: this chagrin, how- 



I 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 55 

ever, will be of short duration, as, on the springing of the next 
bird, he will involuntarily strive to be somewhat smarter in his 
movements, but at the same time adhering strictly to tlie golden 
rule oi coolness and deliberation ; and his efforts on this occasion 
will perhaps be ci'owned with greater success. The bagging, then, 
of this one bird will recompense for many others lost, and at the 
same time impress upon him the importance of sticking to the 
principles upon which he entered the field, and make him a firm 
convert to the absolute utility of giving heed to our instructions ; 
for he will find that as often as he departs from these rules and 
fires his gun at random, just so often will he be disappointed in the 
result, and will also learn that the chances of killing birds at ran- 
dom shots are very few, even when fired into a large covey ; for 
how frequently have we seen even the most experienced sportsmen 
shoot into coveys without rufiiing a feather, owing entirely to the 
circumstance of the birds all rising, as it were, in a mass together, 
and confusing him by their proximity and numbers; or, in other 
words, throwing him off his guard, and deprivin_g him momentarily 
of that coolness and deliberation of which we are speaking ! It is 
very difficult, at times, even for an old sjjortsman to suppress a 
feeling of anxiety, a kind of nervous trepidation that involuntarily 
creeps over him when advancing upon a covey that he feels certain 
is spread out around him, but at the same time entirely ignorant 
of the exact spot from whence the birds will spring. Under these 
circumstances, the heart of an old shooter is apt to palpitate with 
a slight but agreeable emotion, while the warm blood of the tyro 
rushes through his system with a velocity that often makes his 
whole frame quiver with excitement. If, then, he misses his bird, 
it is not to be wondered at, as the confusion and noise consequent 
upon the flushing of a covey of frightened birds is no small affair, 
but, on the contrary, is well calculated to upset his already-shaken 
nerves and throw him entirely off his guard; insomuch that he 
mechanically raises his gun and bangs away, harum-scarum, with- 
out the least aim, and then is mortified as well as astonished thai 



66 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

he did not kill half a dozen birds from among so many immediately 
under his nose. 

It is to steel the heart of the novice against this emotiori that 
we wish to impress upon him, in the most forcible manner, the im- 
portance of coolness and deliberation in all his actions; for rest 
assured that without these two chief requisites he will never make 
a good shot, but always be a bungler and a dangerous person to 
go out with, as he will be sure some time or other to shoot either 
himself, a friend, or his dog. 

CROSS SHOTS. 

"We have in the previous pages been endeavoring to explain 
more particularly the rules for plain or straight shooting; that 
is, when a bird is going directly from us, as partridges most gene- 
rally do when a covey is flushed. We will now speak of the rules 
for cross shooting. 

Many persons can kill birds with a great deal of certainty 
when they are flying from them ; but, for want of a little attention 
to the subject, are constantly at fault when they come to pull upon 
birds that are either crossing to the right or the left, more 
particularly the former. The first thing to be observed by the 
sportsman when considering a "cross shot" is the velocity with 
which the bird flies, and the distance it is ofi" from him at the 
moment of firing. These two circumstances must be determined 
upon in his own mind in a moment of time, as it were, by intui- 
tion ; for when the game is on the wing there is no opportunity for 
the exercise of inductive reason to arrive at these points. This 
faculty of rapid discrimination or rightly judging the distance 
that the bird is from us, or the velocity with which it is moving 
through the air, every shooter must soon acquire by practice; 
otherwise he can never become a superior marksman, but will 
constantly find himself missing the fairest cross shots. The 
American partridge, more particularly when frightened, or rather 
startled by the sportsman, flies with amazing velocity, perhaps 
swifter and stronger than any other game-bird in the world. The 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 57 

ordinary flight of the English partridge is nothing to compare to it 
in point of speed — we mean, of course, a full-grown December bird. 
This being the fact, there is no doubt that our bird requires much 
more calculation and precision to bring it down when crossing. 

When flushed, partridges, except in sections of the country 
where they are seldom or never hunted, boom off at the top of 
their speed ; and if they attain a distance of forty, fifty, or sixty 
paces before we succeed in fairly covering them, it will be neces- 
sary to sight the gun a little in advance of them in the regular 
line of their flight. If the birds are very large and strong, — 
which, by-the-by, most generally is the case in November and 
December, — it will be better to allow a still greater distance 
between the bird and the point of sight, and then perhaps we shall 
not unfrequently have the mortification of seeing our intended 
victim move ofi" unhurt save the loss of the tail feathers. If the 
course of the bir4 should be oblique, as is often the case, the same 
rules for shooting will apply, save that the point of aim should be 
about half the distance in advance of the bird, as if it were flying 
directly across. There is another point in cross shooting which we 
must not forget to impress upon the attention of our readers, other- 
wise all our previous remarks on the subject will prove nugatory 
and go for nothing. What we refer to is the absolute necessity 
of accustoming the hand and eye to keep up the lateral motion 
imparted to the gun when sighting it on the object till after the 
piece is discharged. If attention be not paid to this point, and at 
the moment of pulling the trigger the gun is arrested in its onward 
progress, the whole load will most inevitably pass behind the bird ; 
as the time intervening between the pulling of the trigger and the 
passage of the shot through the air to the intended victim is quite 
sufiicient to allow of its getting beyond the point of sight first 
caught at by the eye. 

The distance intervening between the bird and the point of 
sight is the space granted the bird for flying through the air 
during the passage of the shot from the muzzle of the gun to the 
point of sight, and not for the pulling of the trigger, ignition of 



58 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the powder, and the escape of the load from the barrel. All this, 
to-be-sure, appears only to be a momentary, if not an instanta- 
neous affair ; but such is not the fact, as every shooter can testify 
to ; for it is a self-evident fact that some time must elapse between 
the accomplishment of these two acts — the pulling of the trigger 
and the escape of the charge from the gun. This time will be 
regulated in a great measure by the quality of the powder and 
the construction of the gun, which, however, will be spoken of 
particularly under a more appropriate head. If, therefore, the 
motion of the gun be stopped during the time of pulling the 
trigger and the escape of the load, the bird will inevitably have 
got beyond the reach of the shot, unless we should allow double I 
the distance to intervene between the bird and the point of sight, 
and this kind of shooting would be very uncertain. Therefore, 
we repeat again that it is of the utmost importance that the gun 
should continue its gentle movement in the line of flight at the 
proper distance in advance of the game till after the pulling of 
the trigger. Most young shots have a strong inclination to arrest 
the progress of the gun when pulling the trigger, which, if not 
early corrected, degenerates into a settled habit that is very diffi- 
cult to be overcome. 

A bird crossing to the right is generally considered more difficult 
to shoot than when going to the left, and very justly so ; as the gun, 
being balanced on the left hand, can be carried towards that side 
with more ease and freedom than it can towards the right. If any 
of our readers are dubious on this point, let him take a gun in his 
hand and place himself in the usual position to fire, and he will 
readily perceive what we mean, as upon trial he will find it difficult 
to take sight on an object even at right angles with his right side, 
whereas he will be able to turn himself with ease so far to the left 
that he can shoot in a direct line behind his person. 

A bird when crossing is much easier killed, if struck, than 
when going straight from you or coming towards you, as the vital 
parts are somewhat protected in the first case by the rump, and 
in the second the shot is very apt to glance off from the thick 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 59 

feathers of the breast. When a bird is flying towards you or over 
your head, you Avill be very apt to miss it : the better plan is to 
wait till it has passed, and then turn and take a fair shot at it. 
If, however, you prefer shooting as the bird advances towards you, 
aim for the head, or rather the bill, when he has arrived at a fair 
shooting distance. If coming very swiftly, as they most generally 
do when frightened, it will not be too much to aim even a foot 
or more before the bird. When shooting at long distances, be 
careful to hold the gun full high; as shot, after going a certain 
distance, has, as a matter of course, a downward tendency. The 
most common fault committed by sportsmen generally is the too 
frequent habit of shooting under their game ; and we are satisfied 
from repeated observation that Avhere one bird is missed by shoot- 
ing too JiigJi, ten are missed by shooting too low. When, however, 
the game is flushed on the side of a hill and takes a downward 
course, the point of aim should then be at the feet, or the load 
will pass over the object, as it must be recollected that the bird is 
noiu descending — quite the opposite of its usual habit. To ob- 
viate the inconvenience arising from the smoke of the first barrel, 
or, in other words, to prevent the smoke of the first barrel 
interfering with the shooting or sighting of the second barrel, 
more particularly when a covey rises, we would advise our readers 
to get as many cross shots as possible. This can be done by 
either heading the dogs or by flushing the birds from the side, and 
not going directly on the game from the dogs, which practice, by- 
the-by, most generally is bad. 

COVERT SHOOTING. 

In covert shooting the same rules are applicable as we have 
already laid down for open shooting ; the only difi'erence is, that 
we must be more fully on the qui vive to take advantage of all 
and every chance, as we often see the bird for a moment only, 
and then it is lost to our sight among the trees or thick under- 
wood; and, as before remarked, we constantly kill birds in thick 
coppices without ever seeing them at all. 



60 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

A stiaj) sJiot is more successful in the woods than a plain shot ; 
and the reader should recollect that in jfiring snap shots the fault 
most generally committed is shooting under the bird, forgetting 
that the bird is on the rise, almost always, when first flushed. 

Never beat the bushes with your gun, or you may shoot a 
favorite dog, or perhaps, what would be a hundred times worse, 
you may shoot a friend; the habit is an unsportsmanlike and 
dangerous one, and should never be tolerated in a companion. 
You cannot be too careful with 3''our gun in covert shooting; | 
its position should be watched with the most jealous attention, 
and never for one moment neglected, more esjDCcially if shooting 
in company; for a twig or a bough may catch the hammer or 
trigger at any moment, and commit perhaps irreparable injury 
either to yourself or friend. Be ever cautious also in climbing 
fences or jumping ditches. 

BOTH EYES OPEN. 

Some shooters fire with both eyes wide open. This practice 
is a mere peculiarity acquired by some ready shots, but which 
does not possess a single advantage over the old style of closing 
the left eye to recommend it to our notice. But, on the con- 
trary, we are convinced that no one, except by very long prac- 
tice, can shoot with the same degree of certainty Avith both eyes 
open as he can when one is shut in the usual way. The manner 
of acquiring this knack is to hold the eyes steadily upon the 
object, bring the gun up to the proper position, and draw upon 
the trigger without sighting down the barrel, the hand and finger 
actually obeying the promptings of the eye without there being 
any actual collusion, or, rather, concert of action, between the two 
organs. Some sportsmen, however, recommend the novice to 
begin shooting with both eyes upon the game, insisting that this 
practice is the best. Although we differ with these gentlemen 
upon this subject, we do not Avisli our opinions to be considered 
paramount, or more worthy of credence than theirs, but, on the 
contrary, are willing to believe all they say upon this head, not- 



I 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 61 

withstanding our own personal experience teaches us quite the 
contrary. For "snap shooting" this plan certainly answers a 
very good purpose; but a "snap shot" is generally a very dis- 
agreeable companion to shoot with, and we would not advise any 
of our friends to be ambitious in this particular. The birds are 
usually, under the hands of a "snap shot," horribly mangled, and 
frequently fired upon before his companion has time to put up his 
piece, which, to say the least of it, if often repeated, is ill-bred 
on the part of the shooter and mortifying to his companion. 

Although we do not admire a "snap shot," we trust that our 
readers will not understand us as recommending a "poking shot" 
to their attention; for we most heartily detest a "poking shot," 
who brings up his gun ever and anon, and dwells upon his bird, 
following it in its course for several yards before drawling the 
trigger, or perhaps takes his gun down without firing at all, com- 
placently remarking "that he could not cover it to his satis- 
faction." Such a poker usually prides himself upon his excellent 
shooting; that is, notes doAvn with unexampled minuteness the 
exact number of shots he has made in the course of the day 
without missing a bird. Such kind of shooting we entirely 
eschew, and consider it beneath the dignity of a true sportsman ; 
as for ourselves, we would rather miss three shots out of five, all 
day long, than go pottering about in this style, picking our shots. 
If the art of shooting is to be reduced to such a systematic piece 
of business that we are never to shoot except when we are sure 
of killing our bird, we for one would be glad enough to abandon 
the field altogether, as one-half, if not all, the pleasurable excite- 
ment consequent upon the pursuit of game consists in the un- 
certainty, the doubts, the disappointments, and hopes, that we 
encounter. If on the one hand we sufier some personal chagrin 
owing to our carelessness in missing a fair shot, we receive on the 
other hand double gratification in killing on a doubtful chance ; 
and the results of the day's shooting will always be in favor of the 
man who shoots at all and every chance, though he may have 
missed three times as often as the tedious "potterer." 



62 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Avail yourself of every oiDportunity to shoot, more particularly 
when the birds are scattered in thick cover early in the season, as 
you will acquire by this means a knack of killing the birds even 
when they have passed entirely from your sight behind the thick 
foliage. This knack is a very necessary one in early autumn 
shooting, before Jack Frost has sufficiently nipped vegetation with 
his icy fingers. This kind of shooting requires considerable prac- 
tice, a quick eye and a ready hand, and is the style of shooting 
that all American sportsmen have to attain; and it is in this 
particular more especially that they excel the great field-shots 
of England. Most of the shooting in the Atlantic States is done 
in the wood and thick cover, through which the birds at some 
seasons can scarcely force their way ; and we are not astonished 
that English sportsmen speak so disparagingly of its pleasures, as 
partridge shooting with us is quite a different aflFair from going out 
after them in the rich stubbles of their preserves ; and what is still 
worse for them, Avhen they have found our birds, they discover, I 
greatly to their mortification, that they cannot kill them near as 
often as they do their own varieties, without first serving some- 
thing of an apprenticeship to the sport, under the guidance of 
some one of their friends more skilled in the craft of our game. 
When shooting in the open stubble-fields, we are enabled to see 
the game, and correctly judge of position, distance, bulk, &c. ; 
but in the woods and coppices of our country we do not actually 
see, but learn to guess at all these necessary circumstances ; and 
that, too, without the exercise of thought in the operation, if such 
a thing were possible ; as the arm in most instances seems to obey 
a sudden and irresistible impulse, no time being allowed for any 
action of the mind upon the subject, for in thicket-shooting we 
often kill birds without ever seeing them. The difficulty of killing 
partridges is not the only thing that the English sportsman has to 
complain of, as will be seen in the following extract, taken from 
the journal of a traveller who appears to have been both dis- 
couraged and disappointed in his expectations of sporting in 
America : — 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 63 

"Hares and pheasants there are none, and partridges are scarce; 
"woodcocks and snipes are uncertain, both as to season and situa- 
tion. It is true that great quantities of other birds may sometimes 
be killed, — for instance, wild ducks and pigeons, which are seen 
occasionally in flocks of many miles in extent ; but, after all, and 
much as I have heard of American shooting, in my opinion it is 
poor, insipid diversion, compared with the English, being pursued 
without any kind of system or science, and reminding me more of 
the onsets of our mechanics and shopmen, let loose at Christmas 
and on holidays, to range the fields no matter w'here, and pounce 
upon all, no matter what, than of any thing worthy the name of 
shooting. Let no English sportsman think to better himself by 
emigration in this respect. I'll answer, upon trial, for his total 
disappointment. 

In reply to the above, we must say that Mr. Fowler's remarks 
are calculated to give his countrymen a very unjust and unfavor- 
able idea of sporting in the States. He must have been very un- 
fortunate in the selection of his shooting-grounds when among us, 
to be forced to assert that partridges are scarce in America, or 
that woodcocks and snipes are uncertain both as to season and 
situation ; for all three of these birds are to be found in almost 
every State of the Union in considerable abundance, at the proper 
time, as will be found by referring to our articles on these sub- 
jects. It would be folly in us to waste time in refuting all that 
has been said by Englishmen in reference to our sporting ; and we 
therefore pass the matter over without further comment, as we are 
satisfied that the contents of this book will tell a difiierent tale from 
what many of them have written.* 



* What would Mr. Fowler's readers think of the following extract, taken from 
one of our daily Western papers, of March, 1855? — 

" N. Powers, of Fayette County, Iowa, lately drove into Dubuque with a load of 
game, consisting of one thousand partridges, one thousand prairie-hens, (grouse,) 
one hundred hares, eight deers, five wolf-skins, two bear-skins." 

Or of this, from the "Cleveland Leader:" — 

•'Dr. Short and his son shot two hundred and nineteen English snipe in one and 
a half days on the borders of Mud Creek, near the head of Sandusky Bay. When 



64 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



KILLING CLEAN. 

Be not satisfied with wounding your game only, but aspire to 
become a nice, clean shot, as it will save you mucb trouble and 
vexation, and make your dog show to more advantage. For in- 
stance, if a covey rise, and we wound two birds and see them 
fluttering on the ground before us, we feel great anxiety as to 
their fate ; and, fearing lest they might get off, or secrete them- 
selves so that the dogs cannot find them, we can with difiiculty sup- 
press the strong desire that naturally rises in our mind to quit our 
position, before loading, to secure them ; much less, then, can we 
hope to overcome this impulsive inclination on the part of our 
dogs. In spite of repeated castigations, the excited animals will 
rush after the fluttering birds, and persist in catching them, in 
opposition to all our endeavors ; and the consequence is the flush- 
ing of one or two laggers, who often remain behind when the 
coveys spring, and both of which might have been bagged if our 



■we consider that these birds are only shot singly, and only on the wing, we con- 
sider this extraordinary shooting. They found the ducks rather scarce, as they 
only bagged about fifty in two days." 

Or this, from the " Lancaster Herald," of Grant county, Wisconsin, of January, 
1856:— 

" Game is very plenty with us, this season, in all parts of the State. Venison 
is sold daily in our streets as common as pork and beef, and at the same price. 
Prairie-chickens (pinnated grouse) and pheasants (ruffed groiise) are offered for 
sale by the boys at our doors at one dollar to one dollar and a quarter per dozen, 
partridges at forty cents per dozen, hares at one dollar per dozen, wild turkeys 
twenty-five cents each." 

Or this, from the Philadelphia "North American," of Januai*y, 1856: — 

"Wild Game from the West. — A week ago two hundred boxes of partridges, 
averaging, probably, one hundred birds to a box, were shipped eastward from 
Janesville, Wisconsin; and a short time previous to the 8th inst. two hundred 
deer were shot in the neighborhood of Sparta, in the same State, and sent east- 
ward." 

Or this, from the same journal, of a little later date : — 

" The ' Vincennes Gazette' notices the arrival at that place of two thousand four 
hundred hares, six barrels of partridges, fourteen whole deer, twenty-five saddles 
of venison, one hundred and forty-four prairie-hens, (grouse,) together with wild- 
geese, wild ducks, wild turkeys, squirrels, &c. &c. to an almost incredible extent: 
making, in all, five wagon-loads." 



I 



SHOOTING ON THE WING. 



piece had been loaded. Much thnc is also lost in hunting up 
wounded birds, to say nothing of the labor and worrimcnt attend- 
ing it; for we know nothing more provoking than to sec a bird 
fall and flutter within a few feet of us and not be able to lay our 
hand upon it. Every bird, therefore, should be killed dead at from 
twenty-five to thirty paces and under, with a good gun and the 
proper ammunition : we occasionally have knocked birds down at 
much greater distances, even as far as fifty, sixty, and seventy 
paces by actual measurement ; but we esteem all such lucky shots 
as mere accidents. 

Not only on the score of vexation and trouble should the sports- 
man strive to become a clean shot, but for humanity's sake also, 
as a bungler in this respect will mutilate and abandon to a linger- 
ing death more birds in the course of a day than he will actually 
bag. A bird with a broken wing or a torn leg dangling from its 
body may live in misery and pain for several days, skulking 
about solitary and alone, half-starved and parched with thirst, and 
ultimately fall a victim to a prowling serpent, or be taken ofiF by a 
hawk or some other one of its enemies. 

"As glory more than gain allures the brave 
To dare the combat loud or louder wave, 
So the ambition of the sportsman lies 
More in the certain shot than bleeding prize ; 
'While poachers, mindful of the festal hour, 
Among the covey random slaughter pour, 
And, as their number press the crimsoned ground, 
Regardless reck not of the secret wound, 
Which borne away, the wretched victims lie, 
'Mid silent shades, to languish and to die. 
Oh let your breasts such selfish views disclaim, 
And scorn the triumph of a casual aim ; 
Disdain such rapine ; of your skill be proud, 
The object singling from the scattering crowd." 





CHAPTER YI 



THE PARTRIDGE. PERDIX VIRGINIANUS. 

■ How beautiful they look ! with outstretched tails, 
With heads immovable and eyes fast fixed, 
One foreleg raised and bent, the other firm. 
Advancing forward, presses on the ground." 



HIS beautiful bird, so well known and 



eagerly sought after by all the sports- 
men of our country, is found in consider- 
able abundance in almost every State of 
the Union, extending from the extreme 
parts of Canada even to the southernmost 
banks of the Rio Grande. The inhabit 
ants of the Northern States call it quail; 

in the Middle or Southern States it is more familiarly known as 

the partridge, or Virginia partridge. 

The habits and natural history of the American partridge 

having already been so amply descanted upon by many able 
G6 




THE PARTRIDGE. 67 

ornithologists who have graced this country by their presence and 
enriched our libraries with their splendid works, that it would seem 
superfluous, if not really hopeless, in us to attempt to add any 
thing further upon a subject thus dwelt upon by others far more 
competent to the task. However, as we propose bringing to the 
notice of our readers the practical experience of shooters in 
general, in connection with the more scientific observations and 
researches of ornithologists, regarding all those birds of our 
country which properly belong to the sportsman's catalogue, we 
must be pardoned, ex necessitate reruni, for going over much 
ground already touched upon by other writers in the many excel- 
lent works already published on this branch of Natural History. 

"The partridge is nine inches long, and fourteen inches in 
extent ; the bill is black ; line over the eye, down the neck, and 
whole chin pure white, bounded by a band of black, which de- 
scends and spreads broadly over the throat ; the eye is dark hazel ; 
down neck and upper part of the breast, red-brown ; sides of the 
neck spotted with white and black, on a reddish-brown ground; 
back scapulars and lesser coverts, red-brown intermixed with ash 
and sprinkled with black; tertials edged with yellowish-white, 
beautifully marked with numerous curving spots or arrowheads of 
black; tail, ash sprinkled with reddish-brown; legs, very pale ash.' 

The above accurate description, (as well as the major part of 
the other scientific descriptions of birds in this work,) taken from 
"Wilson, being so perfect in itself, there remains nothing to add, 
except that the female bird is distinguished from the male by its 
diminished weight and size, and also by its plumage being some- 
what yellowish-brown about the chin and sides of the head. 

HABITS. 

Partridges, in sections of the country where they are much 
troubled by sportsmen, become extremely shy and wild, seldom 
venturing far into the open fields, but confining themselves to the 
edges of close cover, to which they take at the slightest alarm, 
secreting themselves in the thickets, and not unfrequently perch- 



68 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

ing upon the branches of the largest forest-trees. The act of 
perching upon trees is not, however, a natural habit of this bird, 
but appears to be solely the result of fright, or, perhaps, a pre- 
caution of safety which circumstances have taught it to adopt to 
escape from its pursuers. In hilly and mountainous districts, 
partridges are much more apt to fly to the trees than in other 
parts ; and in such a locality we knew of a whole covey betaking 
themselves to a tree and remaining there, perfectly concealed 
from view, for some considerable time, greatly to our mystification, 
and that of our dogs also.* 

In their natural undisturbed state, partridges delight in the 
open country, frequenting without fear the stubble-fields apper- 
taining to the well-cultivated farms of our agriculturists, where 
they can obtain a plentiful supply of loose grain. The morning 
and evening is the time when parti'idges feed. When the weather 
is favorable, they leave their roost at an early hour of the day, 
and, being very industrious feeders, they are soon able to retire 
from the open fields to some favorite and secluded spot, to bask in 
the mid-day sun or roll themselves in the dust to rid their plumage 
of the vermin with which all birds are more or less infested. 

Partridges are not strictly migratory birds, as the greater portion 
of them remain distributed throughout the northern portions of 
our country during the whole winter, and not unfrequently sufier 
immensely from the intense cold and deep snows; still, at that 
period of the autumn known as the "running season," large 
numbers abandon their former haunts, and, continuing along the 
borders of our rivers, take up their abode for a time in the 
lowlands, hundreds of miles, perhaps, from their breeding-places. 
Of this peculiarity we shall, however, speak more fully hereafter, 
under a separate head. In the northern sections of our country, j 
the ground is frequently covered for weeks with snow; and, all] 
access to food being thus cut oiF, these poor birds, driven by stern 



* In such situations, it is not unusual to find numbers taking to the trees wnen 
frequently disturbed. 



F 



THE PARTRIDGE. 6? 



necessity, often become quite tame, visiting the barnyards, and 
even mixing with the poultry, to gain a scanty subsistence, which 
not unfrequently preserves them from actual starvation. 
I^H Besides thus falling victims to the inclemency of the weather, 
large numbers are now destroyed, not only by the gun, but by the 
aid of traps, nets, and other ingenious contrivances ; and we have 
seen, in former times, the Philadelphia markets, and the villages 
of th'j interior, fairly overstocked with live birds, taken in various 
ways by the farmer-boys. 

When this is the case, it behooves every sportsman living in the 
country, or residing in the city, to purchase all birds thus offered 
for sale, and keep them till the breaking-up of the winter, when 
they may be let loose upon a friend's estate, or turned out into 
some neighborhood where he is in the habit of shooting, and 
where, from the nature of the country, they will be apt to remain 
during the breeding season. By pursuing this com-se, the pro- 
vident sportsman will be richly repaid for all his trouble and 
humanity, at the coming shooting season, by the number of birds 
that will thus be produced in some favorite shooting locality, as 
the fecundity of the partridge is extraordinary, and the coveys 
raised from a few couples of old birds, in a favorable season, will 
be sufficient to afford sport for several days' moderate shooting. 

PERIOD OF PAIRIXG. 

Partridges commence pairing in the month of March, early or 
late, according to the state of the weather; and, even after sepa- 
rating for the purposes of procreation, it is not unusual for them 
to reassemble in coveys as before, provided the Aveather should 
again become stormy and cold, as is often the case in our change- 
able climate. There is no doubt but there are more male birds 
hatched than females ; and this rather singular circumstance gives 
rise to fierce battles between the cock birds for the possession of 
the hens at the coupling season ; and to such extent are these 
encounters carried that they sometimes result in the death of one 
or both of the rival combatants. This fact is so well established 



\ 



70 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



in the English variety, that it is no uncommon thing for the 
owners of some choice preserves to have the partridges on their 
manors netted, soon after the pairing season, and to destroy the 
surplus males, or old bachelors, as they are facetiously termedA 
This precaution prevents those strifes, and at the same time in- 
sures a larger produce of young birds ; for, if the female be pur- 
sued by several cocks during the period of incubation, she has no 
opportunity to form a nest, but drops her eggs about in various 
places, no two, perhaps, together. Partridges generally complete 
their nests in five or six weeks after pairing. A small tuft of 
grass, sheltered by a bush or a tree, the corner of a worm fence, 
or the foot of an old stump, are the spots usually selected for the 
building of their nests, which are composed of leaves, dry grass, 
and a few feathers plucked from her own person. The little 
habitation is rudely but often ingeniously constructed ; and, being 
so nicely concealed from observation, it not unfrequently bids 
defiance to the searching glances of the most inquisitive eye, as 
well as affording ample protection on every side from the incle- 
mency of the weather. The eggs are Avhite, and average from 
fifteen to twenty in number, and, in some rare instances, greatly 
exceed that quantity. If the birds be in their prime, and the 
season very favorable, it is not improbable that the hen may 
deposit twenty -five or even thirty eggs ; but such cases are anoma- 
lies; and we should be more disposed to attribute the unusual 
increase of eggs to an occasional propensity that some birds have 
of laying in each other's nests. Mr. Daniel, speaking of the 
amazing fecundity of the English partridge, which is closely allied 
to our species, states that a nest was discovered with thirty-three 
eggs in it, another with twenty-eight, and another with thirty- 
three. The greatest number we have ever seen in the nest of the 
American bird is twenty-four; but we have often been told by 
farm hands that twenty-five is no unusual number. For the truth 
of these vague assertions we cannot, however, vouch. The period 
of incubation is about twenty-one days. Some contend for a longer 
period; but we believe the former statement the more correct, 



THE PARTRIDGE. 71 

althougli, in proof of tlie latter assertion, it has been argued that 
it requires four Aveeks to hatch the eggs wlien placed under a 
common hen. This, however, proves nothing, as the disparity in 
the time may be accounted for by the circumstance of the par- 
tridge setting much closer than the domestic fowl, and, conse- 
quently, generating a larger amount, if not a higher degree, of 
animal heat. 

The hen bird during the period of incubation becomes quite 
poor, and undergoes the process of a partial moult, which provides 
a few downy feathers to assist in keeping the eggs warm during 
her absence from the nest in quest of food. The young birds 
are quite strong when they first burst from their narrow confines ; 
and it is no very uncommon thing for them to be seen running 
about with a portion of the shell adhering to their backs. While 
the hen is setting, and even .after the birds are hatched, her mate 
may often be seen early in the mornings, or late in the afternoons, 
perched on a fence-rail or low limb of a tree, whistling with all 
diliirence for a half hour at a time, as if to cheer the female in 
her arduous and solitary duties. Partridges are strictly mono- 
gamous; and it is supposed by some that the cock assists the hen 
in covering the nest; and we incline to the opinion that these 
birds, in common with many others, do share the cares of hatch- 
ing the little brood. 

If the weather remains dry and mild after hatching, the young 
birds will be able to fly in the course of three or four weeks ; if, 
on the other hand, the season should be backward and inclement, 
the tender little brood gains strength but slowly, and great numbers 
consequently will fall victims to the damp and cold while being 
led about in search of food. 

LEAVING THE NEST. 

As soon as the anxious mother abandons the nest, attended by 
her nimble little progeny, she is joined by the cock partridge, who 
gives all his attention to the searching for food and protecting 
the active little brood from any danger that may beset them. At 



72 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

I 
the first alarm, the young birds instinctively skulk in the deep 

grass and remain perfectly motionless, while the old ones resort to 

every artifice within their power to ward off the impending danger. 

It is interesting to observe the earnest solicitude with which 
both the parents watch over their young, and the wonderful 
instinct they exhibit in guarding them when surprised by the , 
huntsman before they are sufiiciently fledged to fly off. The old | 
birds take to the wing, and the young ones run with all speed into 
the nearest thicket, or conceal themslves in the brushwood, or long 
grass that abounds at this season on their feeding-grounds. The 
hen, after flying a few hundred yards, alights, and returns by a 
circuitous route to the place she just abandoned; and, calling 
in subdued tones, she soon collects around her the scattered pro- 
geny, and quickly leads them ofi" from the scene of danger. The 
cock partridge at the same time is using every efi"ort to distract 
the attention of the intruder by flying or rather tumbling con- 
fusedly before him, running along the ground, hanging his wings, 
fluttering as if badly wounded and unable to escape his every 
grasp. By such like artifices, the male bird strives to delude the 
eager observer, and deceive, perchance, his no less anxious dog; 
for, leading them both away, step by step, from the young covey, 
sufficient time is gained for the female to perform her important 
task. When the danger is passed, the hen bird, by her joyful call, 
directs the mate to her retreat. 

It is not only in devices of this kind that partridges display 
a strong and lively affection for their young, but where there ap- 
pears a probability of success they will not hesitate to attack any 
enemy that assails them ; and it is no uncommon thing for the old 
ones to be seen flying up at hawks, or other birds of prey, scream- 
ing and fighting with all vigor to defend their helpless off'spring. 
Several years ago we witnessed a desperate battle between a cock 
partridge and a black snake, which rather singular combat would, 
however, have soon proved fatal to the former if we had not so 
opportunely come to his rescue, as the serpent had already caught 
the exhausted bird by the wing ; and so deadly was the grasp that 



THE PARTRIDGE. 73 

he even held on to his aiFrighted but nevertheless courageous vic- 
thn after we had broken his back with a blow from a large stick. 
On searching around in the grass, we discovered two very young 
partridges, somewhat mutilated, and nearly dead; both of which, 
no doubt, had been seized by his snakeship as a dainty meal, which 
he was not, however, permitted to enjoy, owing to the bold attack 
of the parent bird. 

Such encounters between birds and serpents, we are convinced, 
are not uncommon, but of daily occurrence, as few of us at all 
familiar with country life but have Avitncssed like incidents in our 
rambles over the fields. We also believe that similar conflicts be- 
tween the parent birds and these ruthless desecrators of their nests 
have given rise to the popular fallacy that snakes possess the 
power of charming hirds, or, in other words, transfixing or draw- 
ing them within their reach by the use of certain mesmeric manipu- 
lations of their tongue and eyes. We give no credit whatever to 
this boasted power of fascination on the part of snakes, but regard 
it as one of those vulgar errors which spring up in the minds of the 
ignorant, from their inability to explain or investigate many of the 
everyday phenomena of nature. 

Dr. S. Oilman, the author of a very interesting article on the 
Venom of Serpents, published in the St. Louis Medical Journal, is 
a firm believer in the occult power possessed by serpents of fasci- 
nating small animals, and hints at the probability of the king-snake 
exercising some power besides mere physical force by which he 
overcomes, even when fangless, the most venomous of his fellow- 
reptiles. 

Dr. Gilman states that he succeeded in making seven venomous 
serpents fraternize and dwell amicably in one den. A beautiful 
pair of long-bodied king-snakes, known to be fangless, and conse- 
quently without venom, were duly installed as members of the 
family. The older members manifested some uneasiness, but made 
no attempt to destroy the intruders; and the next morning four 
of the venomous serpents were found dead, and a fifth was gasping 
in the sufi"ocatin(: coils of the king-snakes. The two others re- 



74 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

mained stupid and apparently indifferent to tlieir fate, and could 
not be made to offer the slightest resistance to their enemies. One 
of the king-snakes was afterwards inoculated with the poison of a 
rattlesnake Avhich he had destroyed, and died immediately, thus 
evincing that they must have exercised some power besides physical 
force to overcome their fellow-reptiles. 

M. Kaspail explains the mystery of fascination, apparently very 
much to his own satisfaction, by supposing the serpent to possess 
the power of emitting two streams of a poisonous and stupefying 
gas — one on each side of its mouth — which proceed to unite above 
the head of the bird, producing asphyxia, &c. &c. 

DOMESTICATION. 

The wild nature of the partridge renders its domestication almost- 
impossible, though in some instances, where the eggs have been 
placed under the common hen, they have been hatched and reared 
with as much success as if the progeny were of her own species. 
The young brood, however, though perfectly familiar with all the 
other occupants of the farmyard, and apparently reconciled to 
their unnatural mode of life, still exhibited the wandering and 
restless disposition of their race, and in most instances have flown 
away to their native haunts at the pairing season of the following 
year. The American partridge, in common with those of other 
countries, cannot bear close confinement; they may appear for a 
time to thrive, still, if too much restricted in their movements, in- 
variably die. We unfortunately, during the last winter, lost seve- 
ral fine birds that were presented to us by our friend G. D. 
Wetherill, Esq., owing, we suppose, to the smallness of the cage 
in which we had temporarily placed them. 

TWO BROODS. 

It is a common opinion among sportsmen that the partridge 
produces two broods during each season. "Whether this be true or 
not, we are not prepared to say positively ; but one thing is cer- 
tain, that the hen is often discovered setting during July, in our 



II 



THE PARTRIDGE. 75 

Middle States, and birds too small to be shot are constantly met 
with in October, and even in November. 

This circumstance may nevertheless be accounted for on other 
grounds, as it is ■well known that the female, if disturbed during 
the period of incubation, or the eggs be destroyed by some one of 
her many enemies, will build another nest and commence setting 
afresh. We do not doubt, however, that, independent of these 
accidents, in a very favorable season the hen may be induced occa- 
sionally to raise two broods of young, more particularly in the 
Southern States ; but we are not inclined to believe the habit a 
natui'al instinct of the bird, and rather attribute these instances to 
causes such as above enumerated. 

The period of warm weather in the Middle and Northern States 
is rather too short to allow partridges generally to raise two broods 
in a season; and, if they should succeed in hatching them, the 
second brood, being small and delicate, and not sufficiently well 
grown before the cool weather sets in, are unable to endure the 
rigors of our boisterous winters, and consequently soon perish, 
either from want of food or exposure. These are the birds which 
are first caught in traps and sent to market. 

FULL-GROWN. 

The birds, being full-grown towards the close of September, will 
be found associated in coveys from ten to twenty-five; and, in 
portions of the country where food is plenty, much larger coveys 
may be met with, perhaps tAvo or three broods joining together in 
perfect harmony. The call of the male bird during the season of 
love, which is thought to resemble the notes produced by pro- 
nouncing the words Ah Boh White in slow and measured time, is 
now seldom heard except when the covey is flushed and separated ; 
and then this plaintive call, in connection with the usual cry of 
the species, will be recognised at occasional intervals, collecting 
the terrified members of the family together again. The call of 
the partridge is a clear whistle, composed of three notes ; the first 
clear, loud, and sonorous; the second less loud, and the third. 



76 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

though louder than the second, not as loud as the first. These 
call-notes are perfectly familiar to every sportsman, as they are 
often resorted to, to decoy the poor birds from their lurking-places. 
If the birds be young, they will soon reassemble or be decoyed by 
the imitative whistle of the sportsman; if, however, they be old 
and cunning, each one will remain perfectly quiet for a long time, 
and not venture to call each other till towards the close of the day, 
when all danger is removed. A low, twittering sound is frequently 
heard issuing from a covey when terrified and about to spring 
from before the dog ; this sound somewhat resembles the chirping 
of a brood of young chickens when nestling themselves under their 
mother's wings towards nightfall. 

ROOSTING. 

Partridges, when pursued, as before stated, generally take to 
the woods and thickets for protection ; but instinct and long habit, 
on the other hand, have taught them that the open plain is a more 
secure place for roosting during the night, and consequently they 
almost invariably choose a little mound of rising ground in the 
centre of a cleared or stubble-field for this purpose. 




To afford greater security and prevent a surprise, we imagine, 
partridges roost in a circle, with their heads all turned outwards, 
and their tails joining each other in such a manner that they pre- 
sent a guard on every side ; and when thus disturbed the whole 
covey are enabled to fly off in a direct course without interfering 
with each other. If undisturbed, they are apt to resort to the 



THEPARTRIDGE. 77 

Sttme spot for several successive nights. We have often observed 
these birds arranged in this curious manner, and, when kept up 
during winter in cages, they will be found to place themselves in 
this position every night about roosting-time, or even when huddling 
together during the day. 

FOOD. 
The partridge is granivorous, and, in the words of the old poet — « 

" Soon as the lab'ring horse, with swelling veins, 
Hath safely housed the farmer's doubtful gains. 
To sweet repast the unwary partridge flies. 
With joy amid the scattered harvest lies ;" 

thus delighting in the open and cultivated districts, feeding upon 
all and every species of grain, and thought to be particularly par- 
tial to buckwheat. Some suppose that birds shot from the stubble 
of this latter grain are superior in flavor to any others. Mr. 
Skinner, we find, is of this opinion; and we are also disposed to 
agree with this accomplished sportsman, although we must acknow- 
ledge that, in making the assertion, we may be arrogating to our- 
selves too great a nicety in the gastronomic art; for the delicacy 
of these birds is such that it is, perhaps, impossible to draw so 
nice a distinction regarding their flavor, no matter where shot, in 
the fore part of the season. 

Partridges are very fond of Indian corn, and in a state of cap- 
tivity we have seen them eat it in preference to all other kinds of 
grain save buckwheat. They are not, however, as often met with 
in the cornfields during the shooting season as they are in the 
wheat-stubbles ; but this may be attributed, in a great measure, to 
the want of sufficient cover in the former, rather than any greater 
partiality for the latter. Small insects, ants, grasshoppers, &c. 
are eagerly sought after by these birds ; and in the midst of winter, 
when the ground is entirely shrouded for many inches in depth 
with snow, partridges as well as grouse are forced to eat the fruit, 
leaves, and tender buds of the mountain laurel, (kalmia latifolia.) 



78 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

This well-known evergreen flourishes in every section of our 
couniry, being particularly abundant on the sides of hills and 
mountains. There is also another variety, known as marsh laurel, 
(kalmia glauca,) that inhabits the lowlands and possesses nearly 
the same properties as the other species. Some animals partake 
of these evergreens with impunity, while others are fatally poisoned 
by the use of them. The partridge and grouse both eat of their 
foliage and berries without any ill consequences to themselves ; but 
their flesh, it is said, has often been poisoned to such an extent 
by long indulgence in this food, that death, in some rare instances, 
has resulted from persons partaking of them while in this noxious 
state. : 

Doctor Shoemaker published, some time back, an account of 
two cases of poisoning arising from the eating of a pheasant 
whose craw was stufied with laurel-leaves when shot. The most 
prominent symptoms in these cases were intolerable nausea, partial 
blindness, severe pain in the head, difiicult breathing, feeble pulse, 
&c. Great relief was obtained for these unfortunate patients by 
the free exhibition of mustard and warm water, in quantities 
sufficient to provoke vigorous vomiting. 

OLD AND YOUNG BIRDS. 

The bills of young birds are soft and brown, the legs yellowish 
or bluish white ; the old birds have hard black bills, and legs dark 
and scaly. The young birds are somewhat smaller than the old 
and full-grown ones of the previous season. In some sections of 
country partridges seem to thrive and grow much larger than in 
other parts. Those shot in the neighborhood of the Tapahannock 
marshes, in the State of Delaware, are generally very heavy and 
remarkably fine birds. 

Geo. D. Wetherill, Esq. — a zealous and ardent sportsman, by- 
the-by — informs us that he once shot, in the neighborhood of 
Mount Holly, New Jersey, ten brace of birds that averaged eight 
ounces each. 



THEPARTIIIDGE. 79 

THEIR NUMBERS IN DIFFERENT LOCALITIES. 

After a favorable season, partridges are found in abundance 
throughout the Southern, Middle, and Western States; and, if the 
reports of those who have gunned in the West can be relied on, 
their numbers in these latter territories must be enormous, — quite 
beyond any idea Ave have of them in the Atlantic States. We 
have never yet been so unfortunate as to meet with partridges, on 
any of our shooting excursions, in such large bodies as necessarily 
to destroy, by their superabundance, all zest for hunting them; 
and we are rejoiced that there is only a comfortable scarcity in 
these localities, at all events a scarcity suflScient to make us all 
work hard and exercise a becoming skill in both hunting and 
shooting our game, which excitement, by-the-by, constitutes the 
chief pleasure attending the sports of the dog and gun. 

The mere sallying out in a country overrun with birds, and 
sauntering lazily about for a few hours, loading and firing with 
little or no discrimination or exercise of skill in hunting up the 
game, remind us very strongly of the battues in the overstocked 
manors of the Old World, or perhaps the tameness of a pigeon- 
shooting in our own country. 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND AMERICAN BIRD. 

The American partridge differs from the English variety in 
several particulars, although it greatly resembles it in habits and 
disposition. It is smaller by one-third than the English; the 
plumage is somewhat different, and the call entirely dissimilar; its 
flesh, however, is equally white and delicate. 

We received a couple of brace of English partridges, a few days 
since, from a friend residing in the mother-country ; they arrived in 
good condition, and, we should think, were remarkably fine speci- 
mens, as they weighed 1 lb. 13 oz. each brace. The wings struck us as 
being singularly small and short for the size of the body. We invited 
some of our sporting friends to be participators in this rather 
novel and rare feast; and we believe that they were unanimous in 



80 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

pronouncing them not superior, but rather inferior, to our native 
bird in point of delicacy of flavor ; and, furthermore, we all came 
to the conclusion that we could knock them doivn, right and left, 
like smoke, if we Avere once let loose in the overstocked preserves 
of "merry old England." 

AMERICAN PARTRIDGE NOT A QUAIL. 

It has been stated that the Perdix Virginianus is more closely 
allied to the European quail than to the English partridge; but 
such is not the fact, as the partridge of our country resembles the 
quail in no one particular save in the habit of partial emigration 
that it exhibits every autumn at the running season. The meat 
of the European quail is dark, and oftentimes loaded with fat, 
while that of the partridge is ivhite, and invariably lean. This 
alone is almost sufiicient to establish the difference between the 
two birds. Another circumstance still more striking in the habits 
of these two birds, and better calculated to prove most conclusively 
the difference between the two species, is the well-known fact that 
our partridge is monogamous, while the quail is polygamous. 
Although the American partridge may be termed a hardy bird, in 
one sense of the word, the quail is still more so, as it depends 
almost entirely on itself for support, even a few days after being 
hatched; and, if kept among others of its own brood for a few 
weeks, fights most obstinately, the battle frequently ending in the 
death of one of the combatants. As early as four months old, 
the young quails are sufficiently strong to accompany their parents 
on their distant migratory flights. Quails seldom form themselves 
into coveys. The cock bird being polygamous, and at the same 
time very salacious, confines his attentions to no particular mate, 
and consequently assists but little, if any, either in the construc- 
tion of the nest or the care of the young brood. The quail is also 
less prolific than the partridge. When quails migrate, they 
assemble together in large numbers; but, as soon as they arrive 
at their destination, they separate, each seeking his own food and 
guarding his own safety; they travel invariably at night. How 



THE PARTRIDGE. 81 

widely different is all this from the habits of our l)ird ! And still 
further dissimilarity, no doubt, might be remarked if the subject 
had been properly considered by those more conversant from 
actual observation with the point of contention than we pretend 
to be. 

The quail may also be termed, in some respects, a nocturnal 
bird, and in this particular also differs from the partridge. The 
migrations of the quail, as before stated, are almost entirely per- 
formed during the hours of darkness, and, by way of compen- 
sating nature for this loss of repose during the hours allotted to 
it, most generally sleeps in the middle of the day, which time is 
always occupied by the partridge in scratching and pruning his 
plumage. This being the case, we trust the American sportsman 
hereafter will give our partridge its proper appellation and rank, 
and no longer confound it with the quail, a bird fiir inferior 
whether in the field or on the table. 

Although the ancient Athenians eagerly sought after and even 
reared quails for the purpose of employing them in combat with 
each other, they Avere not esteemed as an article of food, but, on 
the other hand, were erroneously considered unwholesome, from the 
circumstance of their feeding on hellebore. This vulgar notion, 
as many others of like character, is now entirely exploded. 

EUNNING SEASON. 

At the commencement of autumn, the partridges of America 
abandon the high grounds, and resort, in immense numbers, to the 
large river-courses, where they remain for a few weeks, and then 
travel back to their former haunts. At this period the birds are 
said to be running or travelling, and will not lie to a dog ; and to 
pursue them is lost time, as it will be found utterly impossible to 
keep up with them, no matter Avith Avhat speed you attempt it. In 
the fall of 1845, we, in company with a brother sportsman, en- 
countered an immense drove of these running birds in the neigh- 
borhood of Elk River. When first discovered, they appeared to 
be holding a conference as to the proposed route they should take, 



82 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

or perhaps quarrelling "with their leaders <as to the propriety of 
proceeding farther on, as they had all come to a stand in a se- 
cluded little hollow on the borders of a pine forest, and were all 
whistling and twittering as fast and as loud as possible, insomuch 
that we distinctly heard the general turmoil at a distance of seve- 
ral hundred yards. Upon approaching to ascertain the cause of 
this rather unusual noise, the whole company took to their heels 
in double quick time, hundreds running up the opposite bank of 
the hollow and disappearing in a few moments in the thick forest 
of pines and underwood. We followed on after them for a short 
time, but neither ourselves nor dogs were able to keep up with 
their retreating ranks. This company of voyagers, we should 
think, contained several hundred individuals, and was the largesti 
party we ever met with. These migrations of partridges to the 
sea-coast and river-shores are performed almost exclusively on 
foot, as they seldom or never fly, except perchance to cross a small 
rivulet Avhich opposes a barrier to their onAvard progress. The 
cause of these migrations is not satisfactorily explained by Avriters, 
if, in fact, any have attempted the solution of this rather myste- 
rious movement on the part of these birds. We do not knoAv what 
to attribute it to, and are even at a loss to venture an opinion. If 
the birds did not commence running quite so early in the season, 
we might be disposed to believe that a scarcity of food in their 
previous haunts impelled them to Avander in search of it in distant 
localities, like others of the feathered race; but this can hardly 
be the motiA^e, as they are found on these excursions as early as 
October, Avhen the Aveather is not often sufficiently severe to shut 
up the usual channels of food, but, on the contrary, is generally 
such as is most congenial to the habits of the bird. 

FLIGHT OF THE PARTRIDGE. 

The partridge, when full-groAvn, is a very vigorous and poAverfu 
bird, flying with great rapidity, and, like others of the gallina- 
ceous order, Avhen on the Aving, makes a loud Avhirring noise, Avhich 
often not a little disconcerts the tyro, AAho, alarmed at the sudden 



: 



THE PARTRIDGE. 83 

springing of a large covey, knows not where to turn or in what 
direction to point his gun. This startling — but, to the ear of a 
sportsman, agreeable — sound is produced by the shortness, con 
cavity, and rapid motion of the wings, as they fly by a succession 
of quick flaps, and then sail till nearing the ground, when they 
break their fall by a few more flaps. When partridges rise on 
wing of their own free will, the whole covey takes the same 
course; when disturbed, they all seek safety by separating. 
When compared with the weight of the body, there are few, if 
any, game-birds, in any portion of the globe, that fly with the 
same rapidity or force, and consequently require such quick action 
on the part of the sportsman, as the partridge of America. They 
spring suddenly, and dart off" with a celerity and regularity of 
purpose that appears almost impossible for any bird to possess, 
pursuing a rapid and headlong flight through the mazes of our 
thickest forests and impenetrable coverts ; and we hardly suppose 
that any of our brother sportsmen ever saw one of these birds 
either entangled or otherwise impeded in its progress through the 
rank and poisonous vines that so often intercept the flight of other 
less strong and clear-sighted birds. The American bird flies with 
much more vehemence, and to much greater distances, than the 
English variety. It is no uncommon thing for sportsmen to see 
whole coveys, when wild from frequent flushing, take wing and fly 
entirely out of sight over the highest of our forest-trees. The 
English bird is stationary, and has neither the inclination nor 
strength suflScient for migrating from one portion of the country 
to another, hundreds of miles apart. The English bird is longer 
lived than the American. The average duration of life in the 
former is said to be seven to ten years ; in the latter, three to five. 

CHANGE OF PLUMAGE. 

A few partridges, owing to some inexplicable freak of nature, 
change their plumage to a pure or mottled white. Many of such 
singular-looking birds have been shot in England. Mr. Daniel 
States that there was a covey of seven partridges netted at South 



84 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. ^m 

Cave, four of which were of a most beautiful clear white color, 
three were pied, and that they were preserved alive for a long time 
as great curiosities. We have heard of several being shot in the 
State of Delaware, one of which remarkable birds is mounted and 
in the possession of the author. It is not purely white, but pied, 
and differs in no other respect from the common partridge. There 
is also another handsome specimen in the possession of David 
Gratz, Esq., which most of our shooting friends, no doubt, have 
seen. There is also a very handsome specimen in the Academy 
of Natural Sciences. 

There are several specimens of these singular birds in the 
English Museum ; and Buffon states that ten or twelve partridges, 
entirely white, have been seen at once among others of the usual 
plumage, and that they had the pupils of the eyes red, as common 
to the white hare, rat, ferret, &c. 

What this alteration in the plumage of birds is to be attributed 
to we are at a loss to discern, as it has occurred in climates that 
could not be suspected of exercising any influence towards this 
change. Such anomalies, however, are not so very rare in the 
feathered race as we should at first be led to suppose ; for it is no 
very uncommon circumstance to hear of crows, as well as black- 
birds, having changed their lustrous jetty plumage for one of 
snowy white. We have also seen a white snipe, and a yelloiv reed- 
bird, both of which will be spoken of under their proper head. 

Since the publication of the first edition of our book, we have 
received at the hands of our friend, the late Mr. H. H. Stockton, 
who, by-the-by, was a most zealous and experienced sportsman, a 
remarkable, and, no doubt, perfectly unique, specimen of the Ame- 
rican partridge. The plumage of this rara avis in terra is totally 
different from any thing that we have yet seen or heard of. Inde- 
pendent of the color of the plumage, the bird has every charac- 
teristic of the Perdix Virginianus, and, no doubt, is a veritable 
partridge, without any admixture of foreign blood, as some of our 
sporting friends would have us infer. If this bird had not been 
shot in the section of country where it was, and in company with 



THE PARTRIDGE. S^ 

other ordinaiy partridges, Ave might, perhaps, very naturallj aave 
supposed it to belong to another variety; but, all the circum- 
stances taken into consideration, we must regard it only as one of 
those lusis naturce that Ave occasionally meet with in every branch 
of animated creation. 

In the specimen before us, the bill is black ; line over the eye 
and down the back jet-black, with an occasional grayish-white 
spot; whole chin ashy-white, mottled Avith black, extending slightly 
over the throat, Avhich is jetty, interspersed with a fcAV reddish- 
brown spots ; upper part of the breast exhibits a feAV pure Avhite 
feathers; the lower portion dark-cinnamon or red-broAvn, fringed 
with black ; sides of the neck reddish-broAvn ; in fact, the balance 
of the plumage, saA^e the admixture of black and cineritious tints, 
may be set doAvn as reddish-broAvn, or rather dark-cinnamon color ; 
legs of same hue ; the irides hazel. 

This very peculiar bird Avas killed in Pennsyh^ania, a short dis- 
tance from Philadelphia ; and, Avhat is somewhat remarkable, there 
Avere others of similar plumage in the covey from which this one 
was secured. We Avent in quest of these birds with Mr. Stockton, 
on a subsequent occasion, but Avere unsuccessful in our search.* 

THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE NATURAL HISTORY OF GAME- 
BIRDS. 

We have already devoted much space — perhaps too much — to the 
natural history, habits, and peculiarities of the partridge, but, we 
trust, not Avithout benefit to our readers, as no one can expect to 
become an accomplished sportsman Avithout studying very closely 
the individual characteristics of every species of game that he pur- 

* This remarkable bird is perhaps more worthy of being represented perched 
upon a tree, than the white one referred to by an English author, who states that 
one of this character, being shot, was sent to a Mr. Pugh, a good artist, but no 
sportsman, who, to make the delineation, as he thought, the more effective, first 
painted a large oak, and then very artistically placed the white partridge on one 
of the branches. When told that these birds always sat on the ground, he naively 
replied, "That might be; but it looked so much the more picturesque to have a 
landscape in the background that he would not alter it ; for an extraordinary bird • 
ought to have an extraordinary situation: it exalted him above Ws fellows." 



86 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 






sues. For it is by this knowledge, either gained through great 
labor in the field, or acquired from the writings and associations 
of those who have devoted the leisure of years to this healthful 
recreation, that one shooter is seen to excel another in the style 
of hunting and bagging his game. 

Many individuals, from a lack of personal observation on their 
part or the want of a suitable preceptor to instruct them in the 
field, will continue to hunt a lifetime in an awkward or hap-hazard 
way, without ever bringing into requisition any of those many 
little manoeuvres and field-stratagems so familiar to the crafty old 
sportsman, and which he oftentimes selfishly endeavors to conceal 
from the knowledge of the rising generation of shooters, fearing 
lest his teaching might raise up around him too many youthful 
aspirants, ever ready to pluck from his brow the hard-earned 
laurels of a long apprenticeship to the tricks of the field. If any 
of our readers, however, should only aspire to the ofiice of pot- 
hunter, we would advise him to put this book aside, as we can 
assure him that he will not be interested in many of its details, 
except, perhaps, those portions of it devoted to the trapping and 
netting of game, or the different methods to be pursued by the 
shooter when anxious, from some particular circumstance, to make 
a large count. But, even then, a mind such as this selfish cha- 
racter possesses is often too obtuse to understand or practise the 
principles laid down for the guidance of a gentleman sportsman. 

Of all the disagreeable characters that a well-bred sportsman is 
likely to be thrown in contact with, that of a pot-hunter is the 
most disgusting, the most selfish, the most unmanly, the most 
heartless ; a being who alone can pride himself in a ruthless desire 
to destroy, and, as it were, to lay waste, all animated nature, by 
every and any means within his grasp, without regard to etiquette, 
humanity, law, or even the common decencies of life. Such are 
the real feelings of a pot-hunter, in the true sense of the word; 
and his boasted motto. Fill the hag, and damn the means, should 
be chalked upon his craven back in well-defined characters, as a 
warning to all young sportsmen to shun his company and detest 



J 



THE PARTRIDGE. 



87 



his vices. Perhaps our readers may think we have portrayed a 
being so base, so low, as seldom or never to be met with, except 
among those mercenary scamps who shoot for the markets. But 
rest assured, my gentle friends, that the picture is not overdrawn, 
for there are dozens of just such fellows in every shooting commu- 
nity; and perhaps we can even find some such among our own 
sporting acquaintances, who hesitate at nothing to fill their bags, 
in season or out of season, and, in reality, practise in secret the 
open and avowed motto of the professed pot-hunter. We have 
met with such characters, and doubt not but our sporting friends 
have done the same, and perhaps been alike distressed and morti- 
fied at their behavior in the field. When caught, however, with 
such would-he sportsmen, we have but one course to pursue — re- 
sign the field for the day, or take our dogs and quietly put off in 
another direction to pursue our sports solitary and alone. 




FURTHER HINTS. 

We shall now enter upon some particulars more familiar to the 
practical sportsman, and in which he will take especial interest, 
and no doubt feel competent to compare our observations with 
the results of his own experience, and thus be able to judge of the 
truth and importance of our information, not only to himself, but 



88 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

to the young tyro. In compiling tliis work, it is our earnest de- 
sire to bring the young sportsman forward so rapidly in all that 
relates to the crafts of the field, that, with a little industry and 
ordinary attention, he may, in the second season of his debHf, 
possess the same skill in hunting and bagging game as it would 
have required five or six years of regular apj^renticeship for him 
to arrive at. 

As before stated, partridges are formed into coveys, and are 
sufficiently large to shoot, in the month of October, which is the 
time appointed by legislative enactments for the killing of this 
game in several of the States ; New Jersey, however, — having in 
view the preservation of the second brood, we suppose, — prolongs 
this period to the following month. But few partridges are taken 
at this early season in traps, owing to the great abundance of 
grain, seed, and insects to be found .in the stubble-fields and clover- 
patches ; nevertheless, incalculable numbers of running birds now 
fall victims to the nets set by farmer-boys and the negroes of the 
adjoining States. A gentleman residing on the Chesapeake Bay, 
a short distance from Havre de Grace, informed us, not long since, 
that his immediate neighbor caught in this way, during one season, 
on his own estate, no less than nine hundred partridges, which he 
kept in coops, and gave out to his negroes as ordinary food during 
the running season, besides supplying his friends in the city with 
considerable numbers. This account may seem incredible to those 
not familiar with the fecundity of partridges, and still less ac- 
quainted with the immense armies of these birds that congregate 
together during their migratory trips, and the regularity and perti- 
nacity with which they pursue their course, sometimes passing 
through the heart of villages that obstruct their way. The estate 
upon which this large number of birds were captured is peculiarly 
well situated for intercepting the progress of these voyagers, it be- 
ing a neck of low land, bounded on one side by the bay and on the 
other by a wide stream of water, thus forming a kind of peninsula, 
encompassed by high lands, upon which the birds congregate for 
the purposes of incubation, and which they abandon again for the 



THE PARTRIDGE. 8S 

river-courses early in tlie autumn. We do not doubt that, with 
properly-devised instruments, much larger numbers might have 
been taken during the same season at this spot, as the birds M'ere 
very abundant indeed, and the materials used in their capture were 
of the simplest and roughest character, and very little or no atten- 
tion given to their skilful adjustment by the parties setting them. 
We need not, however, make any further comments as to the pro- 
bability of this number being captured in one season, when it is 
well known that the quails of the Old World (not more prolific 
than the American partridge) assemble in such innumerable bodies, 
at the same period of emigration, that one hundred thousand have 
been taken in one day, within the space of four or five miles, along 
the western coast of the kingdom of Naples. About the time of 
their first appearance at Alexandria, after crossing the Mediterra- 
nean, such multitudes are exposed for sale in the markets that 
three or four may be bought for a medina, — a piece of money less 
than two cents in value. Whether there be such numbers of quails 
in these parts at present we are not able to say ; but a few years 
back such was the case; and a writer informs us, — "That so com- 
pletely surfeited with this game have the crews of merchant-vessels 
become, that they were forced, in some instances, to prefer com- 
plaints against their captains, at the consul's ofiice, for the pur- 
pose of obtaining other kinds of food; or, in other words, for a 
return to their salt junk and bean-soup."* 

The nets commonly used by our country-people are very simple 
in their construction, often nothing more than an old fish-net 
rudely fixed up for the purpose and set about in different parts 
of the plantation where the birds are most apt to pass ; sometimes 
a trail of grain leading to it conducts the unsuspecting birds into 
captivity before they are aware of their proximity to danger. 



* Since wi-iting the above, we find, in the " Sjjirit of (he Times," a letter from a 
correspondent in Iowa Territory, stating that he netted, in one season, ten thou- 
sand partridges, in the neighborhood of Burlington, a town of that country, the 
truth of which we do not for a moment doubt, for it only confirms the reports that 
we have before heard of the immense numbers of these birds in those localities. 



90 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Nooses of horsehair are also attached to twigs of low bushes or 
frames set up for the purpose, across the path most likely to be 
traversed by these armies; and considerable numbers are taken in 
this Avay. 

Great numbers of partridges, as well as pheasants, — more pro- 
perly speaking, ruffed grouse, — are taken, by the aid of horsehair 
nooses, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, more particularly in the 
district of country adjoining our city; and it is no unusual cir- 
cumstance for sportsmen to come across long cords of several feet 
in length, stretched from stake to stake, on the borders of some 
favorite feeding-ground, hung with five, ten, fifteen, or twenty hair 
nooses, and even many more, with corn, wheat, or other grain, 
strewn about for the purpose of luring the poor victims into these 
deceptive and fatal snares. The birds are most usually caught 
around the neck, and thus strangled to death; but not unfre- 
quently by the wing, and sometimes leg. Our dogs have often 
come to a stand upon the poor victims thus entrapped, and we 
never scruple to help ourselves to the spoils on such occasions. 

As the winter progresses and food becomes scarce, the common 
figure-of-4 trap, constructed of laths, corn-stalks, or other suitable 
material, comes into requisition by every idle farm-hand and lazy 
negro boy, and thus again large numbers of these birds are merci- 
lessly destroyed. It is no uncommon thing to take covey after 
covey, in these rude traps, during severe weather, without allowing 
one single member of the family to escape ; as these birds, more 
than any others, are disposed to run in clutches, and are seen con- 
stantly crossing and recrossing each other Avhen feeding, and when 
alarmed instinctively cluster together and follow blindly their 
leader, no matter what course he adopts. As Ave cannot approve 
of this wholesale slaughter of game, any more than we can justify 
the robbing of their nests for the purpose of eating the eggs, as 
is pursued to a considerable extent by the negroes in the slave- 
holding States, and often with the full connivance of their masters, 
we will not dwell longer upon the subject, or be more particular in 
describing the method of making or setting these traps, which 



THE PARTRIDGE. 91 

already, unfortunately, is familiar to every one residing in the 
country. We sincerely trust that every one perusing these pages 
will discountenance, as far as lies in his power, the cruel practice 
of eating the eggs of the partridge, and prevent the negroes or 
others about his farm from desecrating the nests of these interest- 
ing birds. 

This season of 1855 and 1856 has been particularly destructive 
to the feathered race, in consequence of the long-protracted and 
intensely cold weather which has so generally prevailed throughout 
our broad expanse of country. This severe spell, coupled with the 
deep, hard snow which has thrown its chilling mantle over so wide 
an extent of land, penetrating even far into the regions of the 
sunny South, has driven all descriptions of game to great ex- 
tremities in search of food. 

The havoc and slaughter, not only by the mercenary and cruel, 
but by the thoughtless and improvident, have, consequently, been 
very great, both of birds and animals. Thousands of buffaloes, 
deer, and hares, hundreds of wolves, panthers, and bears, as well 
as myriads of partridges and hecatombs of grouse, have been slain 
and trapped. The markets of all our principal cities have been 
most bountifully supplied with every description of game — in fact, 
filled to repletion with partridges and grouse ; not, however, as 
many suppose, with birds alone coming from the far, far West, but 
by incredible numbers of half-starved victims snared in our own 
and the neighboring States, or mercilessly shot down, whole coveys 
at a "blow," as they sit huddled together on the treacherous snow, 
stupefied and benumbed with the chilling blasts of the North. 

At such times, when every vestige of herbage is entirely hidden 
from view, and the scanty underbrush of the thickets aff"ord but 
little secrecy or protection to game of any kind, every thoughtless 
and mercenary lounger in the country shoulders his rusty weapon 
and wanders lazily forth to kill and destroy whatever of animated 
nature may lucklessly cross his path. 

What a shame ! what a pity that we have no laws rigidly en- 
forced to protect from such foul play not only the game-birds at 



92 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. « 

this inclement season, but the whole race of insectivorous birds and 
feathered songsters which enliven our brakes and forests with their . 
melodious strains during the spring and autumnal months ! I 

If the snow Avhich has noAv shrouded the country for several 
weeks should continue much longer, we fear that the partridges 
Avill be almost exterminated throughout the Northern and Eastern 
States; as they are not only being trapped and shot down by 
thousands, as above stated, but immense numbers are absolutely 
stiffening and dying in consequence of the excessive cold and hun- 
ger, even in districts as far south as the central portion of Vir- 
ginia. But, what is even more shameful than the wholesale 
destruction of game by mercenary individuals, and most repre- 
hensible on the part of the city authorities, now, on the sixth day 
of February, 1856, we, as well as scores of others, are cognizant 
of partridges and grouse being publicly hawked about the streets 
of Philadelphia, as well as clandestinely exposed for sale in the 
cellars and at the stalls of game-hucksters, in direct violation of 
both the municipal and State ordinances. All this illegal traffic 
appears to be carried on without any special interference on the 
part of the officers or clerks of the market; who, one and all, 
strange to say, seem possessed of lynx-eyes in ferreting out a 
pound of rancid butter which should perchance be under weight, 
but are as blind as bats in full noonday on the subject of the 
game-ordinances. 

This illicit traffic we have noticed for several years past ; but 
this season, in particular, our attention has been called to it, from 
the circumstance of those engaged in it having apparently thrown 
off all efforts at concealment, and exposing their unlawful wares 
with the most brazen effrontery, without let or hinderance. The 
numerous eating-saloons and club-houses, also, of this vast city, 
openly, Avithout a shadow of disguise, serve up all kinds of game, 
in season or out of season, just as it suits their purpose or pleasure, 
without the slightest interference on the part of the constituted 
authorities. But, what is still more to be reprobated, and what we 
consider more scandalous than all these open infringements of the 



I 



THE PARTRIDGE. 93 

laws by tliosc who are tempted from mercenary considerations, we 
have seen the tables of many of our most worthy — but, at the same 
time, most thoughtless, on this point at least — citizens fairly 
groaning under the weight of partridges, as well as ruffed and 
pinnated grouse, during the month of February, — a portion of the 
interdicted period for the sale of all these descriptions of game.* 

As long, then, as such open transgressions of the law are per- 
mitted by the authorities and such ghiring derelictions of duty in- 
dulged in by our otherwise best citizens, it were useless for us to 
hope any thing on the score of humanity towards the preservation 
of game by our thrifty farmers. For they, unfortunately, with 
the rest of mankind, are deeply inoculated with the "auri sacra 
fames" of the present day, and cannot withstand the temptation 
of gain when so alluringly held out to them. 

That section of the city ordinance to which we refer is as 
follows : — 

" That no person shall sell or expose to sale, within the city of 
Philadelphia, any grouse, partridge, or pheasant, between the 1st 
of February and the 1st of October, nor any woodcock between 
the 1st of Februai-y and the 1st of July, under penalty of five 
dollars and of forfeiting the articles so sold or exposed for sale." 

The act of Assembly is of similar import, and prohibits the kill- 
ing of these birds within the prescribed periods, under a penalty 
of ten dollars for each infringement of the law. 

Analogous legislative enactments are in existence in the adjoin- 
ing States of Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland, but, we fear, 
are quite as nugatory in their action as those of Pennsylvania. 
Now, in conclusion of this subject, we sincerely trust that all 
sportsmen and others interested in the preservation of this charm- 
ing bird, which enlivens the spring and summer months by his 

* By the game-laws of Illinois and others of the Western States, every person is 
liable to a fine of fifteen dollars who shall kill, ensnare, or trap any deer, fawn, 
wild turkey, gi'ouse, prairie-chickens, or partridges, between the 15th of January 
and the 1st of August. How then can the authorities in Philadelphia permit, or 
our citizens countenance, the sale of such game, coming, as it does, from these 
Slates during this period of prohibition ? 



94 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN 

plaintive but most musical whistle, will discourage, as far as is in his 
power, the shooting or trapping of them during the next season 
at least, — we mean the season of 1856 and 185Y. Not a bird 
should be killed, under any pretext, in our own or the neighboring 
States, during the next twelve months, as their numbers have been 
so thinned the past winter that it will require one or two seasons 
of undisturbed quiet, coupled with their prolific powers of procrea- 
tion, to replenish their now almost exterminated ranks. 




DRIVING PARTRIDGES. 

Another mode of catching partridges, not less fatal to their pro- 
pagation, if pursued by thoughtless individuals, is much practised 
by the residents of Virginia, North Carolina, and other Southern 
and Western States, where these birds are very abundant. It is 
called driving, or netting. This method is so minutely and cor- 
rectly described by Audubon, in his valuable work on Ornithology, 
that we will quote his own words on the subject : — 

"A number of persons on horseback, provided with a net, set 
out in search of partridges, riding along the fences or thickets 
which the birds are known to frequent. One or two of the party 
whistle in imitation of the call-note, and, as partridges are plentiful, 
the call is soon answered by a covey, when the sportsmen imme- 
diately proceed to ascertain their position and number, seldom con- 
sidering it worth while to set the net where there are only a few 
birds. They approach in a careless manner, talking and laughing, 
as if merely passing by. When the birds are discovered, one of 
the party gallops in a circuitous manner, gets in advance of the 
rest by a hundred yards or more, according to the situation of the 
birds and their disposition to run, while the rest of the sportsmen 



THEPARTRIDaE. 95 

move about on tlieii* liorses, talking to each other, but at tlic same 
time watching every motion of the covey. The person in advance, 
being provided with the net, dismounts, and at once falls to 
placing it so that his companions can easily drive the partridges into 
it. No sooner is the machine ready than the net-bearer remounts 
and rejoins the party. The sportsmen now separate to a short 
distance, and follow the partridges, talking and whistling, clapping 
the hands, or knocking the fence-rails. The birds move with great 
gentleness, following each other, and are kept in the right direc- 
tion by the sportsmen. The leading bird approaches and enters 
the mouth of the net; the others follow in succession, when the 
net-bearer leaps from his horse, runs up and secures the entrance, 
and soon despatches the birds. In this manner fifteen or twenty 
partridges are caught at one driving, and sometimes many hun- 
dreds in the course of a day. Most netters give liberty to one 
pair out of each covey, that the breed may be continued. The 
success of driving depends much on the state of the weather. 
Drizzling rain or melting snow is the best; for in such weather 
partridges, and gallinaceous birds in general, run to a great dis- 
tance rather than fly; whereas, if the weather be dry and clear, 
they generally take to the wing the moment they discover an in- 
truder, or squat so that they cannot be driven without very par- 
ticular care. Again, when the coveys are found in the woods, 
they run ofi" so briskly and so far that it is difficult for the net- 
bearer to place his machine in time. 

" The net is cylindrical, thirty or forty feet in length by about 
two in diameter, excepting at the mouth or entrance, where it is 
rather larger, and at the extremity, where it assumes the form of 
a bag. It is kept open by means of small wooden hoops, at a 
distance of two or three feet from each other. The mouth is 
furnished with a semicircular hoop sharpened at both ends, which 
are driven into the ground, thus afi'ording an easy entrance to the 
birds. Two pieces of netting, called wings, of the same length as 
the cylindrical one, are placed one on each side of the mouth, so 
as to form an obtuse angle with each other, and are supported by 



96 



LEWIS S AMEEICAN SPORTSMAN. 



sticks thrust into the ground, the wings having the appearance of 
two low fences leading to a gate. The whole is made of light and 
strong materials." 

This account coincides exactly with the description given us of 
this sport by several gentlemen residing in the South. Care should 
be taken, however, to liberate a pair or so of birds from each 
covey, so as to insure a continuation of that abundance which 
furnishes such a profuse and epicurean delicacy for the table. 




INTRODUCTION INTO ENGLAND. 

Frequent attempts have been made to introduce the American 
partridge into England; but these efforts have, we believe, gene- 
rally proved abortive, from the circumstance of our birds being so 
very pugnacious that they destroyed or drove off the English 
variety, which is a much larger bird, and considered finer eating 
in that country ; — chacun a son goUt. 



ACTIONS OF OLD AND YOUNG BIRDS. 

There is a great difference between the actions of old birds ana 
a covey of young ones. The former are up to all kinds of tricks, 
while the latter soon become confused and unable to avail them- 
selves of any manoeuvring whatever to save themselves from the 
persecutions of the dog and sportsman. The young birds, if not 



THE PARTRIDGE. 97 

made wild by previous hunting, lie well to tlic dogs and make but 
short flights, and are consequently soon come up with ao-ain, and, 
being scattered about in close proximity, can be picked off one by 
one, without much trouble to the shooter. The old birds, on the 
other hand, when hunted, often lie badly, are extremely cautious, 
and run away from before the dog as soon as fchey observe his 
approach; and when they spring they take immediately to the 
thick cripples or disappear over the tops of the highest woods. 
An old bird, when shot, will often carry off several pellets of lead 
with him, if not struck in some vital part, and even with a broken 
wing will frequently escape the pursuit of both huntsman and dog. 

BEST TO BREAK DOGS ON. 

The partridge, most unquestionably, is the finest bird we have 
to break our dogs on ; and, being once broken to this kind of shoot- 
ing, they can soon be taught to seek for any other kind of game, 
such as woodcocks, snipes, or grouse. In hunting these birds, the 
dog learns a degree of boldness as well as care that cannot be 
acquired on any other kind of game, as none feed so widely, or 
leave so long a trail of scent behind them, which the dog winds a 
considerable distance off, and thus learns caution, ease, and deli- 
cacy in approaching his victims, knowing full well, from sad ex- 
perience, the chastisement that would follow any heedlessness or 
undue precipitation on his part; but rather 

"Against the wind he takes his prudent way, 
While the strong gale directs him to the prey ; 
Now the warm scent assures the covey near: 
He treads with caution, and he points with fear." 

Gat : Rural Sports. 

COVEYS THAT WILL NOT LIE. 

It is seldom attended with much success to follow after coveys 
that will not lie close, but are continually rising and flying straight 
away at the least alarm. Such birds are sure to be either a travel- 
ling party, or they have already been shot at a great deal too much 
to afford any sport. The only likely way of getting a shot at 



98 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

them would be to circle entirely around them, and then the chances 
are much against your being able to close on them before they 
again take wing. 

RETAINING SCENT. 

It has frequently been observed by every sportsman that the 
very best of dogs, at times, cannot find partridges, even when 
marked down in the most open ground and are known to be 
secreted immediately around the spot where the dogs are put to 
hunt. This fact has been a mystery for years to some sportsmen, 
and many a valuable dog has been grossly and unjustly censured 
for his want of nose in not finding the birds under these circum- 
stances. This seeming deficiency, however, in the olfactory 
organs of our canine favorite, is now easily accounted for by the 
presumed existence of a singular provision of nature, which en- 
dows the American partridge with the extraordinai-y faculty of 
withholding, for a time, the emanation from its body of that pecu- 
liarly strong odor that betrays its proximity to the dog. This 
phenomenon was very particularly inquired into, some years since, 
by Dr. Smith, of Baltimore ; and the results of his inquiries were 
published, at that time, in the form of a letter to Mr. Skinner, 
which interesting communication Ave take pleasure in bringing 
again to the notice of sportsmen by its insertion in these pages. 
We are constrained to do this from the conviction that nothing has 
been written, since its publication, that further elucidates this 
subject; and, if we were to attempt to give our own views and 
observations upon the phenomenon, it could not be done in a more 
practical and satisfactory manner than Dr. Smith has accomplished 
it ; and we therefore give place to its insertion with all pleasure : — 

Mr. Editor : — A close scrutiny of every subject in natural his- 
tory discloses some marvellous power given to inferior creatures 
for their preservation from the hostility of man and his various 
and numerous agents. It is surprising how many striking facts 
are forced upon us for contemplation before any doctrine is 



THEPARTRIDGE. 99 

tliorouglily admitted as truth. How long, for instance, has it been 

f observed, and with regret, by sportsmen, that the best dogs could 

not discover certain birds of value, such as partridges, in places 

where they were seen to settle themselves! and yet years have 

rolled away without a single individual advancing the only rational 

j idea of the proper cause. The truth never reached them that 

c these persecuted little creatures had been granted the power of 

'! withholding odor, to preserve them from their ruthless destroyers. 

i Noble dogs have been censured as wanting or careless, when the 

, often-repeated fact, in almost every day's hunt, made it manifest 

I that the fault did not lie with them. Many years ago I noticed 

• this fact, and after frequent and earnest observation I adopted 

'I the conclusion already given. 

I will state some of my observations and experiments. Precise 

dates are of no consequence, as the facts are general, and open to 

the study of all who are interested. , It is now twenty years 

since I was one day in company with my friend and companion, 

( the late learned ornithologist, Alexander Wilson, assisting him in 

his endeavors after the birds of this country. We encountered a 

well-appointed party of gentlemen, who were shooting partridges. 

I They had seven dogs, apparently of the best quality. They were 

in a large stubble-field, having small patches of low bushes and 

briers in several places. From one of these was flushed a very 

large covey of partridges, which, after having been rigorously fired 

'upon, settled nearly in the centre of the field, in a place slightly 

1 depressed, where the stubble was unusually high, with rank clover 

underneath. The sportsmen pursued with due caution, giving the 

'proper instructions and ample time to the dogs. Some of the 

birds were put up and killed, but not near as many as had taken 

refuge there. After considerable search, the party left the ground. 

Why so few of the birds were roused puzzled me exceedingly, and 

'I, in common with every one, censured the dogs. Immediately 

adjacent to the stubble was a body of open woodland, in which 

' Mr. Wilson was several hours engaged in his usual ardent study 

' into the habits and manners of a number of small birds sporting 



100 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

in it. On our return home, we crossed the stubble directly past 
the spot where the partridges had been hunted by the sportsmen. 
As we approached it, a bird flew up, and soon after another, and 
another, until five Avent oj0f. I expressed my surprise to Mr. Wilson, 
who dismissed the matter by supposing that the stronger scent 
from the feet of so many men had transcended that of the birds 
and bewildered the dogs. Having been an anxious witness to the 
whole scene, I was not satisfied with this explanation, but believed 
the dogs to have been in fault. After the lapse of a few years, I 
became exceedingly given to field sports, and was in possession of 
several fine dogs. It often happened that many dogs could not 
find partridges, even when I had marked them settle and conducted 
them to it, especially when the cover was of thick and matted 
grass. In 1821, I obtained a pup of high pedigree, and took the 
charge of his education upon myself. No animal of his kind ever 
sm'passed him, but even with him I was often unable to flush a 
scared partridge. I now first admitted the idea that these birds 
were endued with the occasional power of holding that eflluvium 
which exposed them to their direst enemy. My remarks were 
general, but tended to strengthen the opinion I had adopted. 
For instance, I excursed very many times with large parties, 
where they might be said to be a pack of dogs from their numbers, 
and most of them approved hunters. Often have I seen, in large 
clearings, five or six coveys of partridges flushed, amounting pro- 
bably to a hundred birds, and, although scarcely a brace of them 
would leave the open grounds, not more than a fifth part of them 
could be recovered. The sportsmen did not seem to think of their 
failure, and no one would disparage the truth of the charming 
Venuses, Junes, Dianas, and Coras, so sedulously engaged for his 
amusement. After such a field, I have made it a practice to j 
return alone to it after the lapse of sufiicient time, and I always 
found that the birds had not left it, but that, having resumed 
their natural or usual habits, were easily flushed. In October, 
1824, I became assured of the truth of my doctrine. I was then, 
in company with five gentlemen, in a fine partridge country. We , 



THE PARTIlIDftE. 101 

'had eleven dogs (setters and pointers) of approved value. The 

party concluded to range a field or tAvo before breakfast ; but I 

' did not go out with them. I soon heard rapid firing in a new 

■ cleared ground in sight of the tavern-house. I hurried to join 
'them. There was a small meadow-land and a little brook inter- 
' vening between us. On the margin of this meadow stood a large 
^ pine stump, covered with running-dewberry vines, and surrounded 
' by small oak-shrubs. I was within sixty yards of it, and parallel 

to it, when two partridges came directly towards me, across the 
' meadow. Having but one barrel charged, I fired upon the nearest 
' bird, and killed it. The other made a sudden dart from its line, 
' and took refuge among the shrubs and briers about the stump. I 
^ had my favorite dog and a very valuable pointer-bitch with me. 
^ Having recharged, I approached in guard upon the marked bird ; 
' but the dogs gave no point. This was the proper time to test my 
' belief; I therefore called oif the dogs, and waited till I could have 
: every one on the ground brought to the spot. This was done ; but 
' there was no intimation given that there was a bird near us. "We 
Heft the ground without remark or explanation, and retired to 

■ breakfast. In an hour we took the field for the day. I requested 
< the gentlemen to indulge me again by an advance upon the stump, 

leading the van myself with the pointer-bitch. She instantly 
'' pointed, and the other dogs backed her. The bird was flushed and 
^ shot. I now explained myself fully, and Mr. Edward Tilghman, 
" well known to most American sportsmen, was greatly struck with 
" it. He expressed great pleasure too at it, as he said it would save 
'many valuable animals from immerited censure. He told me, 
t moreover, that he had more than once noticed the same fact with 

■ pheasants and grouse. I think it highly probable that these birds 
*are endowed with the same power; but I have not had suflicient 
^ experience to speak of them with any certainty. Last week, on 
' one of our steamboats. Colonel S. B. Davis, formerly of the United 
' States army, a great sportsman in his day, asked me, without any 
' previous conversation on the subject, why the best dogs could not 
* sometimes find a single partridge in open ground. The fact was 



102 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



forsed upon him, but he had no thought of the solution here 
advanced. Yours, respectfully, 

Samuel B. Smith, M.D. 

Although this communication occupies some space in our work, 
we are satisfied that every one will feel pleased with its perusal, as 
it presents a plain unvarnished relation of facts that admit of no 
doubting or misunderstanding. So far as our experience has 
enabled us to judge of this matter, we are inclined to coincide with 
Doctor Smith in his original notions on the subject ; and we also 
might enumerate many instances of like nature with those ad- 
vanced by him, and as fully corroborative of what he wishes toj 
establish. But, having already devoted much space to the subject,! 
we must pass on to other less obscure points in the habits of this 
bird. 




enemies of the partridge. 

Man is not the only enemy that partridges have to fear, as there 
are several animals — such as the fox, raccoon, weasel, polecat, ser 
pent, hawk, crow, &c. — that not only, when pressed for food in 
the winter season, destroy the old birds, but also devour great 
quantities of the young, and consume numberless eggs during the 
period of incubation. 

Among the foes of their own species there are none more 



THE PARTKIDGE. 103 

destructive than the sparrowhawk, pigconhawk, and goshawk, who 
follow after and destroy great numbers of them early in the autumn, 
when they are comparatively weak and unwary and not sufficiently 
alert to elude their grasp by rapid flight to the thick coverts. The 
pigeon-hawk, being much larger and stronger than the former, 
does not hesitate, on a favorable occasion, to dart down and 
carry oif the oldest and strongest birds. Nothing terrifies a covey 
so much, when feeding in the open country, as the appearance of 
this formidable marauder. Skimming along the tops of the stubble- 
fields, so near to the ground as scarcely to be discovered, he comes 
stealthily upon his unconscious victims, and fastens his deadly 
talons in their very vitals, bearing them ofi" screaming to the 
nearest tree, to satisfy his cruel appetite. The covey, startled at 
his approach, fly in every direction, secreting themselves in the 
thickets of brushwood, deep grass, and almost impenetrable cripples. 
When partridges have been frightened in this way, they take a 
long time to collect together again, as they dare not give utter- 
ance to a single note-call, while dreading the presence of their 
relentless foe. 

We have often come across birds disturbed by this fearless free- 
booter, and found them extremely wild and shy, not permitting a 
dog to come within a hundred yards of them. When the winter is 
severe in the middle and northern latitudes, these hawks, more 
particularly the goshawks, a larger species, are driven to great 
extremities for food, as most of the small birds, their usual prey, 
have left for more congenial climes ; and then it is that the 
formidable goshawk visits the barnyards in search of plunder, and 
does not hesitate to carry off the largest chickens. It is no un- 
common thing for shooters to see this daring depredator dip down 
into a covey when within a few yards of his own person ; and a gen- 
tleman informs me that he has seen them pounce upon and can-y 
off partridges which were brought to the ground a few moments 
before by the gun, and that, on a certain occasion, he actually shot 
one when in the very act of making off with a bird which he had 
seized the moment it was knocked down at a loner shot. 



104 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Thi goshawk also destroys immense numbers of passenger- 
pigeons, as well as the different varieties of ducks, such as mal- 
lards, teal, black-duck, &c. Audubon mentions haAdng seen this 
hawk strike and carry off all these fowl, and we imagine that 
almost every sportsman must be familiar with their extreme bold- 
ness and daring. After seizing mallards, they turn them belly 
upwards and eat the flesh off their breasts, disdaining all other less 
tender and juicy parts of the body when food is so plentiful. 

The sparrowhawk is also a most outrageous poacher upon all 
kinds of birds, and, being exti'emely dainty in his taste and habits, 
we doubt not that he also destroys numbers of young partridges, 
if not the old ones. We have over and over again witnessed him 
in the act of carrying off smaller birds. 

Sportsmen should never fail to kill these birds of prey whenever 
met with, as they answer no particular good purpose, and often 
materially interfere with their recreations. It is no uncommon 
thing for a hawk, in severe weather, to linger about the haunts of 
a covey of birds for several days together, picking off one or two 
whenever a suitable opportunity presents, until the whole covey 
is destroyed. 

PREDICTIONS REGARDING GAME. 

An observant sportsman will, or rather should, be able to pre- 
dict, with some degree of certainty, the probable abundance or 
scarcity of game, according to the mildness or severity of the 
previous winter, the dryness or wetness of the spring, and the 
many other concomitant circumstances which influence the habits 
of game-birds in different localities. 

HAUNTS OF PARTRIDGES. 

If the day be fine and clear, the birds will be found on the 
wing at a very early hour ; if, on the other hand, it be wet and 
cold, they seem very loath to leave their roosting-places, delaying 
their flights as long as possible, even until the day is far advanced. 
And if rain should set in, they will most generally desert the 



THE PARTRIDGE. 105 

open fields entirely, and take to the woods and thickets for pro 
tection. 

" Or when the country floats with sudflen rains, 
Or driving mists deface the moistened plains, 
In vain his toils the unskilful fowler tries, 
While in thick woods the feeding partridge lies." 

If the weather has been dry and warm for several days previous 
to going out, it will be perfect folly to hunt on the hills where 
th'jre is a scarcity of water. And, in like manner, if the season 
has been wet, it will be equally irrational to wade through the 
low grounds, as these birds neither affect very dry situations nor 
wet localities, but, on the contrary, prefer rich stubble-fields in the 
immediate vicinity of a clear running stream, to which they love 
to resort to quench their thirst after the morning's feeding, and 
preen themselves for a while in the noonday sun. If the weather 
be boisterous and windy, without rain, partridges may most fre- 
quently be found on the edge of close cover, or on the sides of 
rising ground, where they betake themselves for shelter. On such 
days they will lie very badly, and will not suffer the approach of 
a dog, although a quiet old pointer will occasionally get right on 
top of a covey, owing to the wind carrying all noise off from 
the birds, provided he hunts up wind, as all dogs should be taught 
to do. 

If, besides being stormy, a drizzling, drenching rain should set 
in, we would advise the sportsman to withdraw at once from the 
field, and wait patiently until the elements prove more propitious ; 
otherwise, he will not only run the risk of an attack of rheuma- 
tism, but also of ill-humor, while his dogs will soon become jaded 
and his game-bag continue empty. It is of no use to kick 
against the pricks, neither is it of any avail to get out of temper 
and make fight with the elements, as rain it will in spite of all our 
scolding and bad-humor ; and it will be much better to hold our- 
selves perfectly resigned to the will of the Fates, and endeavor to 
preserve our minds unrufiled by conning over to some good and 
patient listener the numerous wonderful achievements of our gun 
and dog in former days. If, however, you are of a taciturn dispo- 



106 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

sition, and take no delight in these interesting and often romantic 
recitals, what shall we advise you to do to pass the time when, i 
perhaps, quartered away in some dreary, sequestered spot, out of I 
the reach of books, newspapers, or any thing else whereby to | 
satisfy an inquiring and active mind ? Ah ! we have it. Call for 
the family Bible ; for where can you find a household, in our favored 
covmtry, that does not possess one of these time-worn testimonials 
of bygone days ? Turn to the register of births, deaths, and mar- 
riages, and you will soon find yourself lost in deciphering the 
hieroglyphics of these important family records, and perhaps thus 
while away an hour or two in studying some long genealogical 
table, gravely proving that the ancient founder of the American 
Smith family first landed at Plymouth with the pilgrims from the 
Old World, and afterwards emigrated to these parts, where he 
built a log-cabin on the identical spot now covered by the house 
you are in, and which still, even to this day, continues in the pos- 
session of the lineal descendants of the said Smith family. What 
a discovery ! Before fully awakening from your surprise, the rain, 
perhaps, will have ceased, the sun broken forth, and you can again 
joyfully sally forth to the fields. If this, perchance, will not 
engage your attention, draw a chair up to the hickory fire that I 
blazes and crackles at your feet, plant your broad back against 
the chimney, look sullen, kick the dogs, and go to sleep as soon as 
possible. Or, if it suits you better, walk up and down the room 
for an hour at a time, making the whole house shake and tremble 
with your heavy tread, scolding, and staring out of the windows 
every few moments, to see if the lowering clouds are blowing ■ 
away, or to halloo after the hostler or farm-hands, whenever you f 
espy them about the premises, demanding their opinion as to the 
state of the weather, which, nine times out of ten, will be very 
cheering : — such, for example, as, " Well, I can't say, sair ; it looks 
pretty black out in this 'ere direction." "Indeed, it's very hard 
to tell, sair ; but it sometimes clears up when the wind shifts around 
to that 'ere quarter;" pointing to the west, and the wind still 
blowing a perfect gale from the east. 



THE PARTRIDGE. 107 

GOOD WEATHER. 

In fair weather, partridges will be found out in the stubble, clo- 
ver, or corn-fields, near to a hedge or some other cover. If a 
buckwheat-patch be in the neighborhood, it must of course be 
visited; for if there be any birds in those parts, thoy will most 
likely be about this field in preference to all others. As we have 
stated before, they are very partial to this kind of grain. Par- 
tridges generally feed until eleven or twelve o'clock, and are then 
either quiescent for an hour or two, or resort to some favorite 
watering-place or gravelly bank, where they scratch and pick 
themselves while basking in the sun. We have often found them, 
at this time, on the sunny side of the trunk of a fallen tree, in a 
fresh clearing, and always make it a point to hunt around all such 
places, more particularly if a purling stream should be in the 
vicinity. 

HINTS FOR THE SPORTSMAN. 

It behooves the shooter at this hour of the day to desist foi a 
while from his labors, and refresh himself as well as his dogs with 
a little quiet and a small snack of something to eat and drink. 
He need not be fearful of wasting time by this trifling suspension 
of his sport, as both himself and dogs will hunt with more vigor 
and energy after this truce, and the birds will have had time to 
collect together their scattered forces, ready for another onset, 
provided he should retrace his steps over the morning's grounds. 
Fresh birds will also have left their watering-places, and be busily 
occupied in the stubble-fields feeding. A selfish disposition is to 
be despised in any one ; but when it occupies a large space in the 
heart of a sporting character, it is more frequently and disgust- 
ingly displayed than in any other person: at least, such is our 
opinion of the matter ; and when a shooter has such a wild furor for 
killing birds that he cannot remain quiet for half an hour during 
this period of the day, or suffer his faithful dogs to snatch a few 
moments of respite from their arduous duties, but, on the contrary, 



108 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



considers such an intermission of his sport as an actual loss of 
time, we are forced to class him with that unenviable race of beings 
known as pot-hunters, or, at all events, but one degree above them, 
and, of course, mean and narrow-minded in the extreme. 

" Some greedy elves — 
Pot-luinters vile ! — appear to grieve 
If forced a single bird to leave. 
Such men avoid, and be your pride 
With those that soon are satisfied." 




EARLY DAWN. 

Before leaving their roosts in the morning, partridges appear to 
welcome the return of a new day, and to congratulate themselves 
on the general safety of the family circle, by a low, shrill, twitter- 
ing noise, somewhat resembling the sounds produced by young 
turkeys, or perhaps more cheerful and harmonious than that often 
heard issuing from a covey when in the act of springing, if dis- 
turbed while feeding in an open field. These mutual greetings at 
an end, the covey take their flight to some favorite feeding-ground, 
most generally the adjoining field, or perhaps run off in quest of 
food immediately around them ; but they are not very apt to roost 
in the same field where they habitually feed. 

The reason why partridges seldom or never roost in the same 
field where they feed is perhaps owing to a natural instinctive pro- 



THE PARTRIDGE. 109 

caution which they possess; that is, the dread they have of leavino- 
a trail behind them by ^Yhich they could be traced or scented '^ut 
by some one of their numerous enemies durmg the night, and sud- 
denly pounced upon either by the prowling fox, raccoon, polecat, 
or any other nocturnal animal common to the districts of country 
which they frequent. To prevent this trail being left behind them, 
which would necessarily be the case if they ran to roost, they very 
cun^iingly take a short flight to an adjoining field, and settle down 
for the night immediately about the spot where they alight. By 
this device they entirely free themselves of the treacherous trail 
which otherwise would follow them to their unprotected retreat. 

SNOW. 

If it should snow, the birds keep close huddled together under 
some brushwood, in the deep sedge, or in the corners of what are 
called snake or worm-fences. They never go about during a snow- 
storm, and consequently are often covered completely up by a deep 
fall, and find great difficulty in freeing themselves from their cheer- 
less prison when the tempest has abated. When the weather 
threatens to be severe and the snow very deep, in the interior of 
the Atlantic States, partridges betake themselves to the neighbor- 
hood of the sea-shore, where it is usually milder, and the snow but 
seldom lies over a day or two. There is also generally a great 
abundance of thick sedge in such localities, in the depths of which 
they find shelter and plenty of food. In the autumn of 1845 we 
met with great numbers of partridges in the sedge on the sea-shore, 
and witnessed some excellent shooting by a companion, a memo- 
randum of which we published at the time in the Spirit, and now 
avail ourselves of this opportunity to transfer it to these pages. 

PARTRIDGE SHOOTING IN DELAWARE. 

BIRDS 

Friday, Nov. 28 — Fair, but blowing a gale ; bagged 42 

Saturday, Nov. 29 — Good day, but over the same ground 33 

Tuesday, Dec. 2 — Blowing a stiff breeze, and over the same ground, with 

little variation 35 

Total 110 

Or, within a fraction of 37 birds per diem. 



110 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Nearly if not every bird Avas killed singly, as we were particu- 
larly unfortunate in shooting into coveys, never having bagged over 
two at any one time; but most generally we tipped the first two 
th;it rose when flushed. 

Since writing the above account for the Spirit, we have heard 
of some shooting that far exceeded this count in the number of 
the slain; but we doubt very much Avhether the shooting in itself 
was beaten, for, taking the state of the weather, the quantity of 
birds, and all other attendant circumstances, into consideration, we 
think there are very few of our crack shots that could have done 
as well, and many we are sure would not have accomplished as 
much. The best shooting, however, or rather the biggest shooting, 
on partridges, that we have yet heard of, is that of three gentle- 
men living in the neighborhood of Lynchburg, Virginia, who 
bagged over one hundred partridges each during one day's shoot- 
ing. This season of 1851 and 1852, partridges have been un- 
usually plenty, more particularly along the large watercourses, 
owing to several circumstances, all of which an observant sports- 
man will readily understand.* 

Firstly. The previous winter having been remarkably mild and 
open, few or no birds were destroyed by exposure to cold ; neither 
were they driven by the scarcity of food into the deceptive traps or 
still more cruel tunnel-nets. 

* Game Abundant. — We learn from the Upper Mississippi country, that the 
prairies in the vicinity of Keokuk and Roclc Island are teeming with partridges 
in unheard-of abundance. Large numbers are now brought from those places to 
the New Orleans market. A few days since we noticed, on board of a steamboat, 
coops containing one hundred and forty dozen of these birds. Also, the steamer 
Saa-anak, on her last trip down, brought one hundred dozen. A gentleman informs 
us, that a party with nets left Keokuk lately, and repaired to the island below that 
town. They took four hundred birds in a single afternoon. Partridges sell in 
this mai-ket at from 75 cents to $1 per dozen. In Keokuk they can be had at 
from 40 to 50 cents per dozen. 

The St. Louis Evening News also states that large quantities of grouse, par- 
tridges, deer, and other game, are daily sent from that place, almost every steamer 
carrying out as many as it can accommodate. They are shipped to various points 
on the Ohio, and in many instances have been sent as far as Baltimore, Philadelphia, 
and New York. So large has this export been this season, that these articles are 
now commanding an unusually high rate at St. Louis. 



THE PARTRIDGE. Ill 

Secondly. The following spring and summer months were un- 
usually dry, and especially suited for the purposes of hatching 
and rearing the young brood, which often suffer so lamentably from 
the effects of a long-continued wet spell, as we have before re- 
marked under a different heading. 

Thirdly. The drought having extended through the summer 
and even autumn months, all the smaller streams and inland water- 
courses became entirely dry ; and those sections of country thus 
failing in water were abandoned en masse by all the birds ; and 
this will account for their location among the hills and stubble- 
fields adjacent to the large river-courses. We met this season with 
great numbers of partridges on the large and beautifully-cultivated 
islands of the Susquehanna, but found it rather difficult to shoot 
them, in consequence of the birds on the first alarm darting along 
and under the high river-banks, where they conceal themselves so 
securely that it is quite impossible to drive them out. Our friend 
C. T. Phillips, Esq., killed this season sixty-one birds in one day, 
which of itself is sufficient to prove how numerous they must have 
been; — not wishing, however, by this remark, to detract in the 
least from our friend's skill in shooting; for every one who has 
been out with him in the field knows that he is one of the very 
best shots that goes forth from our city ; but in ordinary seasons 
it is not very often that the most industrious and persevering 
sportsman will get sixty-one shots in a day, much less bag so 
many birds. 

One of Mr. Skinner's correspondents, detailing some of the 
particulars of a day's shooting, states that his companion fired 
forty-three times, killed thirty-eight, and wounded four, only 
missing clearly once; and, what is most remarkable of all, this 
accomplished sportsman, with a double-barrelled flint gun, whirled 
and fired five times with both barrels, in different directions, killed 
nine times, and wounded the tenth. This we consider the best 
record of shooting that has as yet come to our knowledge ; and we 
agree with the chronicler of these worthy deeds that it required 
"a ready hand and a quick eye' to accomplish it, when we recol- 



112 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

lect, as before observed, that the American partridge, sans doute, 
is the most difficult of all game-birds to be brought down. This, 
too, IS the opinion of Frank Forrester, and all others equally com- 
petent to judge. 

A friend of the author's, a genuine sportsman, at our particular 
request very kindly furnished us with a leaf from his shooting- 
register for the year 1854, which exhibits the following results: — 

Deer 7 

Hares 45 

Wild ducks 18 

Ruffed grouse 11 

Partridges 533 

Total 652 

All of the above were bagged Avithin the limits of Pennsylvania 
except the deer, which were killed in the State of New York 
during one hunt, circumstances having prevented any other ex- 
peditions. 

Provided with one dog only, and in the same neighborhood — in 
fact, almost over the same ground each day, this accomplished 
sportsman brought to bag as follows : — 



1854 


PARTRIDGES. 


■WOODCOCKS. 


HARES. 


HEAD. 


October 16.. 


.... 23 






23 


" 17.. 


.... 42 


2 


4 


48 


19.. 


.... 28 




3 


31 


20.. 


.... 27 


1 


3 


31 


21.. 


.... 43 




4 


47 



Total 163 3 14 180 

THE FIELD. 

" See how the well-taught setter leads the way : 
The scent grows warm. He stops ; he springs the prey ; 
The fluttering coveys from the stubble rise, 
And on swift wing divide the sounding skies. 
The scattering lead pursues the certain sight; 
And death, in thiinder, overtakes their flight." 

It is now quite time that we should proceed to the field, which 
we will endeavor to do with all possible despatch, accompanied by 
all the paraphernalia necessary for the legitimate and sportsmanlike 



THE PARTRIDGE. 11,^ 

■way of bagging game, and properly equipped, or rather suitably 
dressed, as every gentleman should be under all circumstances, 
whether in the ballroom, encompassed on every side by a gay 
throng of sparkling eyes, not less fatal in their glances oftentimes 
than the reeking shot that is sent whirling from his unerring gun, 
or in the wide-extended stubble-field, surrounded by his faithful 
setters, stanch pointers, crafty marksman, and jovial companions. 
The uncleared state of our country, and a comfortable scarcity of 
game in the Middle States, render it necessary to have two dogs ; 
at all events, it is much better to have them, and, from our ex- 
perience, we are led to recommend one to be a pointer and the 
other a setter. The weather in the early part of the season is 
often very -(varm and dry ; and the setter, if overworked, will most 
assuredly give out if not lavishly supplied with water, which, by- 
the-by, it is often impossible to obtain in some districts of counti-y ; 
while the pointer, on the other hand, will suffer very little or no 
inconvenience either from the heat or thirst. The setter, however, 
is peculiarly serviceable at this period of the season : being well 
protected by his long shaggy hair, he does not for a moment hesi- 
tate to penetrate the closest coverts, to which the birds are so apt 
to take when disturbed. It is quite impossible for the smooth- 
haired, wiry pointer to insinuate himself into these brakes or fast- 
nesses ; and if, in his eagerness to keep up with his companion, he 
is forced into such places, he always retires from them with his 
body and tail dreadfully lacerated by the thorns and briers that 
are now flourishing so thick and rank. 

Having provided ourselves with dogs and all necessary ammuni- 
tion, we will now imagine that we have arrived, at a late hour in 
the afternoon, at the tavern or farm-house from which we purpose 
to sally the next morning in pursuit of game. The first thing to 
be attended to by every sensible sportsman is the welfare of his 
dogs, as most of his enjoyment depends upon their exertions, 
and therefore no trouble on his part should be spared to keep them 
in proper condition. The dogs being well fed and comfortably 
hottsed, the sportsman may then think of his own comfort. We 



.114 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

never trust any one to feed our clogs, no matter hoAV fatigued we 
may be, but make it a positive rule, from wliich there is no appeal, 
to attend to this duty ourselves, and most generally superintend 
the cooking of their suppers as well as sharing it out to them 
when done ; for where can we find an ignorant country-servant or 
farm-hand willing to bestow the necessary attention upon the pre- 
paration and serving-up of food for an over-fatigued and perhaps 
delicate pointer ? Besides all this, there is another reason, equally ■ 
important, why the sportsman should feed his dogs himself: it 
attaches the animals to him, and consequently makes them the 
more subservient to his will, and therefore the more anxious to do 
that which will merit his caresses and kind treatment. This is 
really far more important than many careless owners of dogs 
suppose; it is a feature in sporting that should not be over- 
looked, and we wish particularly to call the attention of our 
friends to its operation. For, after all, the pleasures resulting 
from the field are almost entirely dependent upon the good and 
gentle behavior of our dogs ; for without their exhilarating presence 
and cheerful assistance, the hunting of most game would be not 
only very tame, but very uncertain amusement. 

Having partaken of our supper, smoked our regalia, and sipped f 
perhaps a glass of warm punch, — but only one, and that very light, — 
we retire to our own room at an early hour, unpack our carpet-bag, 
and arrange all the shooting-apparatus ready for the morrow's 
expedition. This being done, we go to bed, sleep soundly, and 
get up at the first dawn of day, big with expectations and ready . 
for action. Every thing being arranged over-night, we find all i 
the shooting-accoutrements at our very finger-ends, and conse- f 
quently are enabled to dress very leisurely, without bustle or 
confusion. Breakfast being despatched, — which, by-the-by, should 1 
be a very substantial repast, — we call our dogs around us, give 
them a light feed without flesh, and then, with a chosen companion, 
away to the £elds, 

" Soon as the eastern skies display 
The rosy tints of welcome day." 



THE PARTRIDGE. 



115 



Do not be in too great a hurry for the first half hour. Go along 
leisurely, and give the dogs an opportunity to empty themselves, 
clear their nostrils, and tune their olfactory apparatus to a fine 
degree of nicety by snuffing the untainted morning breeze. 

It is always better to engage the services of a person to act 
as marker. He can also carry on his arm a small basket con- 
taining extra ammunition and a few nicely-prepared sandwihes 
for luncheon. 




MODE OF HUNTING DOGS. 

Having already given a very minute and detailed account of 
the partridge, as well as carried the sportsman into the field and 
conducted him to the spots where he would most likely find the 
game, it now remains for us to talk with him upon a subject of 
the utmost importance, — namely, " the proper manner in which to 
hunt his dogs." 

In the first place, let me warn you Against venturing into the 
field for a day's hunt with half-broken dogs, more especially if in 
company, as you will only worry yourself and annoy your friends ; 
but rather stay at home, or go alone attended by such torments. 
If you go in company, you will not be able to teach them any 
thing, owing to the ill-temper either of yourself or friends; 
whereas, on the other hand, if you go alone, you will soon break 
them in, after a few disappointments, and perhaps have a fine day 8 
shooting. An old stanch pointer is the best field mentor for 



116 lewis's AMERICAN SPOETSilAN. 

young dogs, — far preferable to a setter, no matter liow superior 
he maj be, as the pohiter makes a far more honest and unmis- 
takable stand than the setter, and at all times is more certain in 
his behavior. 

Young and heedless dogs at all times are great pests in the 
field, and we are often led to suppose that they ought to be broken 
thoroughly before taken out ; at all events, they should be under 
perfect control, so far as coming and going, before we force them 
into the company of our friends' dogs to run and caper over the 
fields, flushing and tearing after the birds, perfectly reckless of the 
consequences. However, we have not much fear of a well-bred 
dog, while under our tuition, disturbing the sport of our friends 
while in the field, after we have once made him understand the 
gross impropriety of running after birds ; for we are satisfied that 
few or none will ever repeat the ofi'ence a second or third time after 
they have escaped from our perhaps cruel hands. If they do, we 
are willing to pass them over to the keeping of some one else far 
more patient and tender than we pretend to be with obstinate and 
reckless animals. 

Good dogs should be procured by provident sportsmen before 
the shooting season comes around ; they can be had far cheaper at ' 
such times, will become familiar with their new master, and learn 
to understand his every look and gesture. Always purchase young 
dogs in preference to old ones, even if they should not be so well 
broken. Old dogs are contrary, or rather self-willed, and if they 
have perchance any vices, they are difficult to be got rid ofi". f 
Young dogs are far more pliable, and if intelligent will soon 
accommodate themselves to your peculiar habits and modes of 
hunting, and, what is very important, will not require replacing as 
soon as old dogs. You should not expect the dog to study your 
character alone, but recollect that it is equally the duty of the master^ 
to strive to understand the disposition and temper of his faithful 
coadjutor. If timid and wanting in confidence, he must be cheered 
rather than reproved ; if bold and full of action, he must be restrained 
within proper bounds ; if negligent of commands and regardless of 



THE PARTRIDGE. 117 

I instruction, he must be flogged, and that soundly, till brought to a 
. proper appreciation of your supreme authority. 
[ Some dogs, as individuals, require fjir more correction than 
others: the lash, consequently, should be employed with a tem- 
cpered hand; no dog ought to be punished except he is made 
[perfectly sensible of his misconduct, and, being once fully ap- 
1 prised of his improprieties, should never, through negligence or 
I sickly sympathy, be allowed to escape the most condign and 
immediate chastisement. 

The fear of punishment at the hands of man has a wonderful 
[influence over the actions of all animals; but over none is this 
, controlling power more forcibly exercised than in the canine race. 
The castigation, to-be-sure, may oftentimes be of the lightest 
J character — an angry look, a harsh word, or a single bloAV ; still, the 
faithful creature feels it all, and that very acutely, and by his 
meek submission expresses repentance, and by his servile crouch- 
ing acknowledges the utter helplessness of his position. 
J It were quite unnecessary for me to tell the sensible sportsman 
never to kick or strike a dog with a heavy bludgeon ; but we fear 
lest there may be some of our readers who have not properly 
thought over this matter, as we have occasionally witnessed scenes 
in the field that have fairly thrilled us with horror. A reckless, 
,headstrong dog, we grant, is quite enough to try the temper of 
|the most self-governed man in the world, but nevertheless should 
not be quite sufficient to cause him to kick him in anger or shoot 
him in desperation and rage. If we cannot control our own actions 
I by the aid of education and our reasoning faculties, how should 
we expect a dumb brute to do it, who has had so much less 
; tutoring and possesses but a tittle of the intellectual strength 
bestowed on us ! 

The natural instinct or bent of inclination is, we all know, very 

I powerfully coercive in its operations over the actions of the brute 

I creation: how difiicult then must it ever be for a high-strung, full- 

I blooded dog to suppress the spontaneous impulse that urges him 

to spring upon game when under his very nose, or race after it when 



118 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

on the wing. The adt of pointing game, it must be recollected, ia 
not a truly automatic instinct of the animal, as many suppose, but 
the beautiful result of discipline and long training in one special 
branch. The habit, however, has now become so confirmed, 
through this persevering education on the part of sportsmen, that 
each generation of pointers, more particularly those of pure breeds, 
seem to possess an involuntary desire to practise those actions that 
have been inculcated by the lash in their forefathers. 

Many breeds of pointers have this faculty of standing game so 
early and powerfully developed that it is analogous to second 
nature ; for we often see whole litters of pups stop so instinctively 
at the first scent of game, that they point the moment they come 
upon partridges, without the least tutoring, and without knowing 
the why or the wherefore. 

There may be, however, more instinct in this practice of point- 
ing than we are at first willing to suppose, as we know that most 
predatory animals either lie in wait for prey or creep crouchingly 
towards it for the purpose of surprise. In the pointer, therefore, 
the habit may be somewhat instinctive in itself; but, as now per- 
fected and propagated in the whole breed, is the result, as before 
stated, of nice education. It is better in throwing the dogs off to 
give them the wind, which they afterwards will be very apt to 
keep, if taught to quarter their ground properly. Dogs should be 
spoken to as little as possible in the field, and as much should be 
accomplished by signal as can be ; the eye and the hand should do 
far more than the voice. If Avell broken, they may be allowed to ^ 
range pretty widely, so that they remain in sight. Young dogs 
must always be within hearing ; otherwise they commit some gross 
errors without being reprimanded at the proper moment. When 
the dogs come to a stand, approach as noiselessly as possible, and, 
if the grass be deep, lift the feet high and tread as lightly as you > 
are able; and, if the birds are wild and lie badly, incline ihe body 
forward, so as to keep it somewhat out of view. Flash the bird 
yourself, by advancing, if necessary, even before the dogs, as it is 
a bad practice to encourage the dogs to do it by hieing them on. 



THE PARTRIDGE. 119 

Young dogs can never stand such training, as they are not able, or 
at all events, being so very eager, are not willing, to comprehend 
the wide diflference between flushing the game when their master is 
directly behind them and doing it for their own particular gratifi- 
cation when he is entirely out of gunshot. Old dogs may be hied 
on occasionally, when circumstances seem to demand it, but young 
dogs never, except we wish to spoil them and consequently give 
ourselves a world of trouble in breaking them. 

When the game is sprung, do not fire at random into the covey ; 
if you do, you will be sadly disappointed at your want of success. 
On the contrary, carefully select one bird, on Avhich draw, and 
then give the other barrel to another, perhaps one of the stragglers 
last up. Never mind the dead birds ; your dogs ought to be able 
to find them. Watch the covey, if you have no marker, and see 
exactly where they alight; and follow, if practicable, as soon as 
your gun is loaded. It is better not to stir from the spot where 
you are standing till your gun is charged again, as there may have 
been one or two stragglers left behind when the covey flew. En- 
deavor at all times to be on the qui vive for such as may be termed 
chance shots, which will amount to a great deal in the course of a 
day's shooting. Dogs should be made to couch immediately at the 
springing of a covey, or taught to come to heel without rating, and 
never allowed to seek dead birds till after the gun is charged a 
second time. A retriever that rushes out immediately on the firing 
of the gun, in quest of the fallen victim, oftentimes does an im- 
mense deal of harm ; he should be taught to bring the bird when 
directed, and not before. It is a very difiicult task to teach any 
animal, no matter how sagacious he may be, this nicety in fetching 
dead game, as his first impulse is to hreah shot and seize the bird 
the very moment it falls to the ground ; and it is next to an im- 
possibility to restrain a dog under such circumstances. In fact, 
we have never yet met with a pointer or setter that was perfectly 
broken in this respect ; although we have had two as good re- 
trievers as ever went into a field, m the common accej^tance of the 
term, still, they would most generally break shot, to seize the bird 



120 lewis's amekican sportsman. 

the moment we fired, and of course flush any bh-ds that might re- 
mam. At tmies we were able to restrain them, more especially 
when hunting alone ; but when in company with other dogs it was 
entirely out of the question to control them, as go they would in 
quest of the bird in spite of all our efforts to the contrary. This 
vice, t)f course, had a most baneful influence over all the dogs in 
company, as they, naturally desiring to follow the example of our 
retrievers, could with difiiculty be made to down charge as they 
were before tutored, preferring rather to contest the right to the 
fallen game with our dogs. We have been annoyed in the same 
way more than once with retrievers highly lauded by our friends ; 
and we must confess that such dogs, as a general thing, although 
they save their owners some little trouble in picking the birds up, 
do a great deal more harm than good ; and upon the whole are 
very bad companions for old and steady dogs, as well as most 
ruinous preceptors for young ones. Of course, we would not object, 
to a perfectly -broken retriever, if such an animal can be found ; but 
we greatly doubt ever seeing so much perfection in either a good 
pointer or setter. The mere act of fetching dead game is one of 
the simplest feats performed by most of the members of the canine 
race, and is, perhaps, one of the leading natural propensities of all 
hunting dogs, and therefore easily cultivated in them. But, as 
before observed, the great stumbling-block in the way of obtaining 
a perfect retriever is the almost utter impossibility by any course 
of discipline, no matter how severe, no matter how persevering, to 
make a dog at all times restrain the powerful impulse that urges 
him to rush forth to seize the fallen game, after he has once been 
taught to do it. 

These remarks, of course, refer to pointers and setters that are 
otherwise well broken. If, however, a retriever be so very desirable 
or necessary, it would be an easy task to break one of either of 
these dogs for this purpose alone, and by keeping him always at 
one's heels, save when told to go out in quest of the dead or 
wounded game, there would of course be but little trouble in re- 
straining him ; whereas, in the other case, the dogs are generally 



THE PARTRIDGE. 121 

considerably in advance of the shooter, and cannot therefore be so 
well controlled or brought to heel before being ordered to bring the 
bird. Any kind of a dog almost of the spaniel or even terrier 
breed can be taught this duty, and no doubt would prove very ser 
viceable in recovering many birds, in the course of a day's hunt, 
that would otherwise be lost. 

There are few retrievers, even the best of them, but that will at 
times mouth or bite their game ; and some can never be taught to 
handle birds tenderly. The best plan to make a young dog gentle 
with game, is to practise him on a stuffed partridge having Avires 
running through the body and the sharp points extending a trifle 
from beneath the feathers, so that when he attempts to bite or 
mouth the bird the wires will prick his jaws pretty severely. This 
is a most effectual method, if persevered in for a little while, and 
will even do much towards correctinn; the vice in an old doo;. If 
this practice is tried in the stubble-field, it is better that the bird 
be rubbed on the breast or back with a piece of cheese or fresh 
meat, so as to give it an odor or artificial scent; otherwise the dog 
cannot find it very easily ; or, what is still better by far, rub the 
stuffed bird with a genuine partridge, which will impart to its 
feathers a temporary effluvium that the dog will at once recognise, 
and therefore not hesitate to seize for the purpose of fetcldng. 

A dog that will industriously and perseveringly hunt up wounded 
or dead birds Avhen so ordered, we consider absolutely a sine qua 
non in shooting. In truth, a dog that will not assist his master in 
this important service we would almost consider worthless for par- 
tridge-shooting in some particular sections of country. Every dog 
can be taught this duty without much trouble, although at first it is 
often necessary to exercise, with young and high-strung animals, 
considerable patience and perseverance, so as to confine their at- 
tention to the particular spot where the game is supposed to have 
fallen, thus giving them a fair opportunity of catching the scent 
of the bird if dead, or of getting upon the track of it if only 
wounded. When a dog, more particularly a well-bred setter, has 
once acquired a tact and fondness for this particular duty, he is 



122 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

most invaluable to the sportsman, and will save from prolonged 
suffering many a poor bird that would otherwise linger and die 
froni its fatal wounds. Upon the score, then, of humanity alone, 
we should teach our dogs this important service, and never permit 
them to abandon a disabled bird till after the most diligent search. 
We have already spoken on this subject under the head of "killing 
clean," and cannot too strongly impress these remarks upon the 
minds of our readers. 

The finding of dead game and the following-up of wounded 
birds, however, can be taught a dog Avithout his having the least 
idea of fetching or of going in quest of the game till so ordered, 
and, upon the whole, we think, answers a far better purpose than 
the general run of dogs tutored to retrieve. 

As for our own part, Ave never care to have another retriever for 
general sporting, being satisfied to act dog and fetch our own 
game, save in the case of point or bar-shooting, Avhen a good 
water-dog is absolutely indispensable. To-be-sure, Ave may lose 
an occasional bird by its falling across a creek or in some other 
inaccessible place; but Ave are fully convinced, taking all the 
chances, that we Avill have done better at the close of the day with- 
out the services of an ordinarily-broken retricA-er than with him. 
We say ordinarily -broken — by which Ave mean about the best of 
those that Ave have ever met Avith in this country, where gentlemen 
generally take upon themselves the task of breaking their OAvn 
dogs. 

Never lose a bird, if possible, which you have once marked down, 
but hunt the dogs closely about the spot, kicking the stubble or 
brushwood, if there be any. Do not be in too great a hurry to get 
over the ground, and by a little patience you Avill often get many 
shots which your companion in his anxiety has left behind him. It 
is by such manceuvres that good sportsmen always obtain game, no 
matter how scarce it may be. 

We doubt not that many of our readers Avill have obserr-ed the 
habit which partridges have of lying very close till the sportsman 
has passed by, and then suddenly flirting up, and making off behind 



THE PARTRIDGE. 123 

him, before lie has time to turn around ; therefore, we repeat again, 
do not be in too much of a hurry. Recollect also that the par- 
tridge of America has been pronounced the most difficult of all 
game-birds to find, or to kill when found, and that frequently they 
give forth no scent whatever for s-everal minutes after they alight, 
and consequently will defy the cleverest dogs to point them. Do 
not, therefore, be discouraged either at your want of success in 
getting birds up, or your want of skill in bringing them down, on 
all occasions ; but take things coolly, and hunt your dogs patiently, 
more particularly when the birds have flown to close cover. 

It is not always prudent to follow birds immediately into a thick 
covert overgrown with rank underbrush, as they will give forth a 
better odor in ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes after settling than 
they would at first. Some birds, however, run the very moment 
they have struck cover, and thus may be lost altogether, as they 
move along pretty briskly Avhen frightened, and after a lapse of 
fifteen minutes may be a mile ofi" from where they alighted. 

Your dogs will naturally, or rather soon learn to hunt along 
the sides of the fields adjoining cover, as partridges do not frequent 
the middle of the fields except in portions of the country where 
they are seldom or never hunted after. 

When the dog comes to a point, if possible, place yourself be- 
tween the birds and the cover, and, if practicable, face the wind, 
as the covey when rising will furnish a much better shot. 

Dogs should not be too severely rated for making false points, 
as the best dogs will do it at times ; those that back him, of course 
must be entirely exonerated. Dogs possessing the very nicest 
noses are occasionally at fault, and will overrun and flush single 
birds, more especially in hot, dry weather, and should not be treated 
too harshly for such mishaps. Much advantage is gained by the 
mode of approaching your dogs when they have come upon a 
covey; and every shooter should be able to judge of the position 
of the birds by the actions of the dog. 

English dogs, we are satisfied, from personal observation, — in fact, 
from actual experiment, for we have imported several, — cannot at 



124 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

first,fiiid our partridges with tlie same facility with which our dogS 
do ; and we might go further, and say there never was an imported 
dog over the age of two years that ever acquired the art of finding 
the American partridge equal to our own breed of pointers and 
setters. 

"We might enlarge considerably on this subject, but we have 
already referred our readers to Youatt's work on the dog, wherein 
will be found much that is interesting and useful on this head. 




MEMORANDA. 

1. Partridges are not migratory birds, although great numbers 
show a disposition to shift their quarters at the running season. 

2. The American partridge is not a quail, either in habits, 
appearance, or the flavor of its flesh 

3. Partridges commence pairing in March ; period of incubation, 
three weeks. The young are capable of locomotion as soon as 
freed from the shell, and are able to fly in three or four weeks. 

4. Not susceptible of domestication to any great extent. 

5. Partridges are granivorous, and said to be very partial to 
buckwheat. 

6. It is not uncommon for them to produce two broods in one 
season. 

7. Young birds have soft bills, and the legs yellowish or bluish, 
and lack the cunning of the old birds. 

8. The English bird is much larger than the American variety. 



THE PARTRIDGE. 



125 



9. It is of no use to follow running birds, as they will not lie 
to the dogs. 

10. Partridges the best game to break dogs on. 

11. Partridges are said to have the power of retaining their 
scent. 

12. A dry spring will generally produce plenty of birds the 
following autumn. 

13. If the weather has been wet and boisterous, look to the high 
ground for birds ; if, on the contrary, di-y and warm, seek the low- 
lands. 

14. If the morning is fair and clear, the birds will be on the 
move at an early hour ; if wet and cold, they are loath to stir. 

15. Take the field at as early an hour as possible. Do not be 
in too great a hurry to get over the ground; keep cool, and take 
your time. 

16. Dogs should be taught to hunt up wind and quarter their 
ground without being bellowed at. 

17. Pointers are better adapted for early shooting than setters ; 
but, when the weather is cool, give us the never-flagging, never-to- 
be-stopped setter. 

18. Flush the game yourself; never allow your dogs to do it. 

19. Mark the covey as it goes off. Pay no heed to the dead 
birds ; your dogs ought to find them. 

20. When a bird towers and falls suddenly, he is struck in the 
head. 




XV -. 




CHAPTER VII. 



THE WILD TURKEY. MELEAGRIS GALLIPAVO. 



126 



"On the top 
Of yon magnolia the loud turkey's voice 
Is heralding the dawn : from tree to tree 
Extends the wakening watch-note far and wide. 
Till the whole woodlands echo with the cry." 



THE WILD TURKEY. 



127 




DESCRIPTION. ADULT MALE. 

ILL shortish, robust, slightly arched, 
rather obtuse, the base covered by a 
bare membrane; upper mandible with 
the dorsal outline arched, the sides con- 
vex, the edges overlapping, the tip a little 
- ^^fe^ declinate ; under mandible somewhat bulg- 



t^- 



■^-v^^ 



ing towards the tip, the sides convex. 
Nostrils situated in the basal membrane, 
oblique, linear, covered by a cartilage. 

Head small, flattened above, with a conical, pendulous, erectile 
caruncle on the forehead. Neck slender. Body robust. Feet 
longish and strong ; tarsus covered anteriorly with numerous trans- 
verse scutella, scaly on the sides, scutellate behind ; toes scutellate 
above, scabrous, papillar, and flat beneath; hind-toe elevated, half 
the length of the lateral toes, which are nearly equal, and much 
shorter than the middle toe ; claws slightly arched, strong, convex 
above, obtuse flat beneath. A conical, rather obtuse, spur on the 
tarsus, about tAvo-thirds down. Conical papilla of the forehead 
rugose, sparsely covered with bristles. Head bare and corrugated, 
the skin irregularly raised, and covered with a few scattered 
bristles. 

External ear margined with short and slender thin feathers. 
Neck also bare, corrugated, beset anteriorly and below with a 
series of oblong, irregular, cavernous caruncles, interspersed with 
small, bristly feathers. 

Plumage in general compact, glossy, with metallic reflection. 
Feathers double, as in other gallinaceous birds, generally oblong 
and truncated. A pendulous tuft of long bristles from the upper 
part of the breast. Wings shortish, convex, rounded, consisting 
of eighteen broad, rounded feathers, capable of being erected and 
expanded in a permanent manner when the bird is excited, and 
reaching nearly to the ground when the bird stands erect. 



128 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Bill yellowish-brown. Frontal caruncle blue and red. Rugose 
and carunculated skin of the head and neck of various tints of 
blue and purple, the pendulous anterior caruncles of the latter, or 
the wattles^ bright red, changing to blue. Iris hazel, legs and 
toes bright purplish-red ; claws brown. Upper part of the back 
and wings brownish-yellow, with metallic lustre, changing to deep 
purple, the truncated tips of the feathers broadly margined with 
velvet-black. On the middle and lower back, the black terminal 
bands of the feathers almost conceal the bronze color. The large 
quill-coverts are of the same color as the back, but more bronzed, 
with purple reflections. 

Quills brownish-black, the primaries banded with grayish-white, 
the secondaries with brownish-white, gradually becoming deeper 
towards the proximal feathers, which are similar to the coverts. 
The lower part of the back and the coverts are deep chestnut, 
banded with green and black. The tail-feathers are of the same 
color, undulatingly barred, and minutely sprinkled with black, and 
having a broad, blackish bar towards the tip, Avhich is pale-brown 
and minutely mottled. The under parts are duller. Breast of the 
same colors as the back, the terminal black band not so broad ; 
sides dark-colored ; abdomen and thighs brownish-gray ; under-tail 
coverts blackish, glossed with bronze, and at the tip bright reddish- 
brown. 

Length, 4 feet 1 inch ; extent of wings, 5 feet 8 inches ; beak, 
1| inches along the ridge, 2 along the gap ; tarsus, 7^ ; middle 
toe, 5 ; hind toe, 2 ; pectoral appendage, one foot. 

The female is considerably inferior in size, with the wattles much 
smaller, the tuft on the breast comparatively small and only in old 
birds, the color of the plumage duller, there being but little of 
the refulgent hues of the male, and the lower parts brownish-black. 
The young, before being fledged, are pale, brownish-yellow above, 
pale yellowish-gray beneath, the top of the head brighter, marked 
in the middle with a longitudinal pale-brown band ; the back and 
wings spotted with brownish-black, excepting the smaller wing- 
coverts, which are uniformly dull brown. 



THE WILD TURKEY. 129 

The above will at once be recognised as Aviclubon's description 
of this magnificent bird. 

NATURAL HISTORY AND LOCALITIES — WHERE FOUND. 

The Avild turkey, the largest of all the fowls that have been 
reclaimed from the primeval forests of this or any other country 
and made subservient to the never-ceasing wants of man, stands 
pre-eminent among the game-birds of America. 

In former times this noble bird wandered in undisturbed peace 
and quiet, in vast armies, from one end of our remote country to 
the other, having little or nothing to dread from the savage 
inhabitants of those wild regions, abounding in game to them of a 
much more attractive as well as useful character. Then it was, be- 
fore the pristine forests and luxuriant plains of this vast continent 
had been invaded by the devastating foot of the white man, that 
this proud and beautiful fowl roamed in joyous security, unmolested, 
unharmed, in its native haunts. Then it was that the haughty, 
vainglorious gobblers, in conscious freedom, decked in the most 
gorgeous plumage, with outstretched wings, quivering bodies, and 
blustering heads, pompously strutted and puffed in mimic grandeur, 
as it were, to win the favor of their amorous but still unyielding 
mates, or meeting in battle array with sanguinary fury, avenged 
their jealous desires. Then it was, hidden away in some choice 
umbrageous copse, that the anxious mother, without fear, without 
restraint, patiently hatched and reared her tender brood, and 
brought them forth with careless solicitude, to feed and wander 
ever the fruitful plains. 

How changed is all this ! Scarcely a bird is now to be encoun- 
tered on the whole northern and eastern Atlantic seaboard. The 
destroying hand of the white man is stretched forth, and his vic- 
tims are vainly seeking an asylum far beyond the confines of the 
"Father of Waters;" and the time is fast approaching, we fear, 
when we shall hear of the wild turkey as one of the almost extinct 
species of our land. 

Few or none are to be met with, at this present time, north or 



130 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

east of Pennsylvania, and few — very few — in some of the remotest 
portions of this latter State. Small flocks are found in the wild 
and woody regions of Virginia, larger nmnbers in Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois, and Kentucky, but only in considerable congregations in 
the unsettled tracts far beyond these localities. During the last 
autumn, while shooting in the interior of Virginia, in company 
with Andrew Staley, Esq., Ave encountered several of these birds; 
but they were in such straggling parties and so very wild that 
little or no inducement was offered to hunt them. We were in- 
formed, however, that a sportsman in that district, who followed 
this particular kind of game with great zeal and ardor, had killed 
some twenty or more during the previous season ; but even this 
success, we are well assured, was only accomplished at a great 
expense of time, patience, and real labor. Of all this, however, we 
need not speak, as the sportsman, no doubt, in his own mind, was 
richly repaid for all he endured. 

In the wilder portions of Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mis- 
sissippi, and Alabama, they are still to be found in some abundance, 
are more scarce in Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas. 

We are greatly indebted to our esteemed friend, Doctor R. Percy 
Sargent, who resides in the neighborhood of Natchez and devotes 
much of his leisure to shooting and the study of the habits of 
game-birds, for a letter containing much useful as well as practical 
information regarding the wild turkey. From this article, so 
kindly furnished us by the doctor, we shall in the course of this 
compilation make some considerable extracts, as well as from 
Audubon, to whom we owe nearly all our knowledge of the bird 
under consideration ; for we must frankly confess that our own 
opportunities of studying them in their native haunts have been 
very limited. 

The doctor informs us that wild turkeys are still met with in 
small numbers in the cypress-swamps, thick forests, and wild 
ridges of the neighborhood around Natchez. They are, of 
course, very wary, cunning, and watchful of the approach of man, 
and are only to be killed by those long experienced in hunting 



THE WILD TURKEY. 131 

them and practically familiar with their habits and secret haunts. 
Although these birds in the settled districts occasionally come out 
into the open meadows and frequent the grain-fields, still, they 
generally secrete themselves in the depths of the forests, and are 
seldom to be approached within gunshot, save when on the roost 
at early dawn or when drawn into ambush by the deceptive call 
of the huntsman. 

INCUBATION.^ 

The season devoted by the wild turkey to propagation and 
incubation is a very interesting period for the lover of natural 
history to study the habits and characteristics of this truly mag- 
nificent bird. 

These promptings of nature to perpetuate her creations are 
observed in the turkey as early as the month of March, and, if the 
weather be favorable, even as soon as the middle of February. 
The first change that takes place in its ordinary habits that seems 
to mark the near approach of this sexual desire is the partial 
separation of the females from the males, accompanied by the 
almost incessant gobbling of the latter. The turkey, like others 
of the gallinaceous order, is very salacious, and does not by any 
means confine his attentions to one hen, but oftentimes becomes 
the mate and protector of several, and is ever ready to give battle 
at the slightest token of intrusion on the part of less favored 
rivals. 

These conflicts, too, are often contested in the most desperate 
manner, insomuch that death to several of the combatants not 
unfrequently results from a general engagement. 

Audubon remarks on this head: — "I have often been much di- 
verted, while watching two males in fierce conflict, by seeing them 
move alternately backwards and forwards, as either had obtained 
a better hold, their wings drooping, their tails partly raised, their 
body-feathers ruflled, and their heads covered with blood. If, as 
they thus struggle and gasp for breath, one of them should lose 
his hold, his chance is over ; for the other, still holding fast, hits 



132 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTS :.I AN. 

him violently with spurs and wings, and in a few minutes brings 
him to the ground. The moment he is dead, the conqueror treads 
him under foot, but, what is strange, not with hatred, but with all 
the motions which he employs in caressing the female." 

The period of sexual intercourse continues for several weeks, 
when the female, towards the middle of April, begins to make 
arrangements for placing her eggs in security. She now sees far 
less of her mate, being anxiously occupied in securing a favorable 
site for the nest, which is formed on the ground in a very slovenly 
and artless manner. 

A dry situation is always selected for this purpose, most gene- 
rally a mere hollow scooped out in the ground by the side of an 
old stump, moss-covered log, or fallen tree, hidden from casual 
view by the intervention of thick and tangled bushes, and the ap- 
proach protected by the rank growth of creeping vines and matted 
briers. 

They also form their nests occasionally in the small thickets or 
briery patches of the open fields, (Dr. Sargent informs us that such 
is most generally the case about his neighborhood,) as well as within 
the edge of the canebrakes. Audubon states "that the eggs, 
which are of a dull cream-color sprinkled with red dots, sometimes 
amount to twenty, although the more usual number is from ten to 
fifteen." 

The hen is very cautious when approaching her nest, so much 
so that she seldom goes to it more than once by the same route ; 
and Avhen she leaves it, for the purpose of feeding or seeking the 
company of her mate, she carefully conceals the eggs from observa- 
tion by covering them over Avith leaves. 

The turkey-cock does not assist in the duties of incubation, but, 
on the other hand, is ever eager to discover the nest and destroy 
the eggs, so that he may insure for himself the further company 
of the hen. This latter circumstance, therefore, is one of the 
strongest incentives which urges the anxious mother to conceal the 
locality of the nest from her jealous and treacherous mate. Seve- 
ral hens, we are informed, occasionally deposit their eggs in the 



THE AVILD TURKEY. 133 

same nest in beautiful harmony, and, being thus intimately asso- 
ciated, pursue their maternal duties in perfect congeniality and in- 
creased security from the attacks of wild animals, birds of prey, or 
lurking serpents. Audubon mentions having discovered three sit- 
ting on forty-two eggs. 

When on the nest, the hen is noiseless as death itself, but 
watchful as her keen vision and acute hearing can possibly 
make her; and with equal sagacity, though trembling with 
terror for the safety of herself and eggs, will permit the uncon- 
scious intruder to pass within a few paces of her, without moving 
from her seat. 

When the full period of incubation is drawing to a close, the 
hen will not leave the nest under any contingency ; she will rather 
sacrifice her own life than abandon the ofi"spring just about burst- 
ing into existence. Indeed, so resolute is she in her nearly-accom- 
plished purpose that, Audubon states, she will even allow an en- 
closure to be built around her, rather than forsake them at this 
critical juncture ! 

How marvellous, how powerful, how impressive the instinct 
which thus sways the actions of an otherwise timid, cautious, and 
wary bird, that under ordinary circumstances takes alarm at the 
slightest token of danger, not only fleeing the presence of man, but 
driven into precipitate flight at the very sound of his voice ! 

Wet weather and low, moist grounds are very detrimental to the 
well-being of the young turkeys ; insomuch that an inclement spell, 
about the period of hatching, is very destructive to the tender 
brood. The hen at such seasons, doubly solicitous for the preserva- 
tion of her sensitive offspring, seeks the high, dry grounds, and, 
further to ward off" the ill effects resulting from exposure to rain, 
Audubon tells us that she, with instinctive ingenuity, feeds them 
upon the buds of the spicewood-bush. 

The young continue to nestle on the ground for two or three 
weeks ; they are then sufficiently strong to take to the low limbs 
of trees, where they roost under the Avide-extended wings of their 
ever-anxious parent. The plumage of the young bird grows with 



134 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

considerable vigor, and they increase in size and strength very 
rapidly, provided the weather continues propitious. 

As early as the month of August, the young tijrkeys are quite 
able to take care of themselves as well as fly to the tops of the 
highest trees. Our author, from whom we have already quoted so 
liberally, informs us that about this time "the young cocks show 
the tuft on the breast, and begin to gobble and strut, while the 
young hens pur and leap." 

The wild turkey, as a general habit, rears but 3ne brood of a 
season; but if she forsakes or is driven from the nest, or the eggs 
are destroyed by some one of her numerous enemies, she seeks her 
mate and makes preparations for another setting. 

During the period immediately succeeding that devoted to sexual 
enjoyment, "the males become greatly emaciated, and cease to 
gobble, their breast-sponge becoming flat. They then separate from 
the hens, and one might suppose that they had entirely deserted 
their neighbors. At such seasons I have found them lying by the 
side of a log, in some retired part of the dense woods and cane- 
thickets, and often permitting one to approach within a few feet. 
They are then unable to fly, but run swiftly, and to a great dis- 
tance." 

Several weeks elapse before the gobblers entirely recover their 
condition, when they all reassemble, old and young, males and fe- 
males, and move ofi" to some more favored feeding-ground. 

FOOD. 

The wild turkey is not very particular in the choice of food; 
but little comes amiss. They partake indiscriminately of all the 
forest-fruits, such as nuts and berries ; also consume considerably 
of grass, herbs, buds, seeds, &c., as well as beetles, grasshoppers, 
tadpoles, worms, and even lizards. When feeding on the plains, 
they feast on strawberries, dewberries, blackberries, and all similar 
productions. 

Audubon states that they are particularly partial to the pecan- 
nut and winter grape ; they also eat largely of the fruit of the oak 



THE WILD TURKEY. 



135 



and beech, as well as of all kinds of grain, when to be obtained 
without too much exposure. 

MIGRATIONS. 

The turkey is principally influenced in its movements after the 
breeding-season by the abundance or non-abundance of food. 
They often wander in enormous droves, at certain times, over a 
wide extent of country in search of mast, on which they principally 
feed during the late autumn and winter months. When they en- 
counter a river during these peregrinations, they mount the loftiest 
trees on the banks, and after a general conference, which some- 
times, strange to say, lasts a day or two, the whole party, at a 
given signal from the leaders, take flight and reach the opposite 
shore without much difiiculty. 

Should any, however, from want of confidence or strength, fail 
in the efi"ort and fall into the water, they swim with considerable 
dexterity, and soon gain the land. 




THEIR DOMESTICATION. 

The wild turkey is a native solely of the New World ; it is indi- 
genous to the wilds of America, and the progenitor of the domestic 
fowl so generally distributed over the Avhole civilized globe. 

It is, then, to the forests of our country that the Old World is 



136 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

indebted for one of the most common, but at the same time one 
of the most choice, of all the barnyard-fowls that have, by the in- 
genuity of man, been reclaimed from their native haunts to minister 
to his daily wants. 

"In a state of domestication, the wild turkeys, though kept sepa- 
rate from tame individuals, lose the brilliancy of their plumage in 
the third generation, becoming plain brown, and having here and 
there white feathers intermixed." 

Wild turkeys often, when opportunities offer, associate with tame 
ones, and with great advantage to the latter, as it improves the 
Btock, making them more hardy, and consequently less difficult to 
raise. 

It is a subject of somewhat curious interest to examine the 
various notions or theories that have been broached by different 
writers, by way of explaining in a satisfactory manner how this 
fowl, entirely indigenous to the Western Hemisphere, should have 
received the appellation of T^irkey ; for this name would very 
naturally seem to imply that the bird was a native of the East, 
rather than of the New World. 

This seeming paradox may, however, be reconciled by a refer- 
ence to the history of the period of its introduction into England. 
The Turks were then in their zenith of glory, or, rather, were in 
their most lawless state of rapine and plunder ; insomuch that the 
whole nation was dreaded as well as despised throughout all Chris- 
tendom. 

Their ships, almost unmolested, swept the waters of the Medi- 
terranean, while their fleet galleys laid waste the sunny shores of 
Italia, as well as carried devastation along the coasts of Ilispania 
and the adjacent countries. As a nation, they Avere nothing more 
than a horde of barbarians, a band of pirates, leagued together for 
the purpose of carnage and pillage ; their very name a byword to 
all the more civilized people of the Old World, — a token of con- 
tempt, a symbol of cruelty, cowardice, and oppression. Such was 
the period of the advent of this bird in England ; and, coming as a 
stranger from distant parts, no one knew or cared whence, they 



THE WILD TURKEY. 137 

were regarded as fancy fowls alone. Most probably their intro- 
duction was through the medium of some of the British cruisers 
from the coast of Spain, where, no doubt, many of the birds had 
already been brought from the newly-acquired Spanish possessions 
in the New World, and dubbed Turkey, or Turkey-Bird, in a 
spirit, perhaps, of irony or contempt for its irascible and pugna- 
cious disposition, as evinced in its blustering attitudes, unmeaning 
struttings, and senseless gobblings. And this title seemed the still 
more appropriate for the pompous stranger, owing to the pectoral 
apijcnclage resembling so much the huge tufts of beard which the 
Turks were so remarkable for cultivating. 

The singular misnomer of this fowl seems conclusive evidence 
that the bird was not brought to England direct from America; 
and, whether there be any truth or not in the above conjecture, 
there is certainly much plausibility in the deductions. However, 
let all this be as it may, it is a well-known fact that, about the 
period of its introduction into England, during the reign of that 
monster Henry VIII., the British merchants carried on a consider- 
able traffic throughout the Mediterranean, and even extended their 
voyages as far as Smyrna on the one side and Constantinople on 
the other; and it is not improbable that their vessels, on theh' 
return voyages, stopping for trading purposes at the different 
Spanish ports, may have brought home, as mere fancy fowb, some 
of these birds lately arrived from the Western World. 

And thus alone, from the mere circumstance of arriving in Eng- 
land through the medium of these same Turkisl^ traders, ignorant, 
perhaps, themselves of the true history of the fowl, it was very 
naturally presumed by the uninitiated to have been brought from 
the most remote region that the vessels visited, which Avas Constan- 
tinople, and consequently received the cognomen of Turkey or 
Turkey-Bird, without any particular allusion to the peculiar condi- 
tion of the Turks at this period. 

With the exception of the hen and goose, the turkey is by far 
the most valuable addition which has been made to our domestic 
fowls ; and it is somewhat strange that the history of its trans- 



138 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

plantation across the waters should have become mvolved in so 
much obscurity that more than one eminent author has striven to 
establish an Asiatic or African origin for it. 

But such efforts at imposition could not long stand before the 
ever-ready pen of the closely-investigating Buffon, who soon, by 
a few researches, cleared away the mist by which these specious 
writers had enveloped the early history of the bird, and proclaimed 
it a fowl indigenous to the Avilds of America alone. 

Prescott, in his Conquest of Mexico, makes frequent mention of 
the turkey, not only in its wild state, but as domesticated among 
the Aztecs ; in fact, it was more common than any other kind of 
poultry among this strange people. And as a proof of this asser- 
tion we need only state that, along Avith other items enumerated 
in a list of yearly household expenditures of the Tezcucan monarch, 
was an almost incredible number of turkeys, being no less than 
eight thousand. 

THEIR FLESH. 

The flesh of the wild turkey assimilates very closely to that of 
the tame fowl, but is darker, more juicy, and, of course, has more 
of a game flavor. 

TRAPPING TURKEYS. 

In parts of the country where these birds are numerous, the 
most effectual mode to procure a supply is to catch them in traps, 
or rather pens. 

Audubon states that tney are constructed thus: — "Young trees 
of four or five inches in diameter are cut down and divided into 
pieces of the length of twelve or fourteen feet. Two of these are 
laid on the ground, parallel to each other, at a distance of ten or 
twelve feet. Two other pieces are laid across the ends of these, at 
right angles to them; and in this manner successive layers are 
added, until the fabric is raised to the height of four feet. It is 
then covered with similar pieces of wood, placed three or four 
inches apart, and loaded with one or two heavy logs to render the 



THE WILD TURKEY. 139 

•whole firm. This done, a trench, about eighteen inches in depth 
and width, is cut under one side of the cage, into which it opens 
slantingly and rather abruptly. It is continued on its outside to 
some distance, so as gradually to attain the level of the surround- 
ing ground. Over the part of this trench within the pen, and 
close to the wall, some sticks are placed so as to form a kind of 
bridge about a foot in breadth. 

" The trap being now finished, the owner places a quantity of 
Indian corn in its centre, as well as in the trench, and, as he walks 
ofi", drops here and there a few grains in the woods, sometimes to 
the distance of a mile. This is repeated at every. visit to the trap 
after the turkeys have found it. Sometimes two trenches are cut, 
in which case the trenches enter on opposite sides of the trap, and 
are both strewn with corn. No sooner has a turkey discovered 
the train of corn, than it communicates the circumstance to the 
flock by a cluck, when all of them come up, and searching for the 
grains scattered about, at length come upon the trench, which they 
follow, squeezing themselves, one after another, through the pas- 
sage under the bridge. In this manner the whole flock sometimes 
enters, but more commonly six or seven only, as they are alarmed 
by the least noise, even the cracking of a tree in frosty weather. 

" Those within, having gorged themselves, raise their heads, and 
try to force their way through the top or sides of the pen, passing 
and repassing on the bridge, but never, for a moment, looking 
down, or attempting to escape through the passage by which they 
enter. Thus they remain until the owner of the trap, arriving, 
closes the trench and secures his captives. Dr. Sargent informs 
us that it is usual, in his part of the country, to make these pens 
in the corners of the worm fences." 

SHOOTING TURKEYS. 

Various plans are resorted to by huntsmen to kill turkeys, de- 
pendent in a great measure upon the particular locality shot over. 

If the country be new and wild, and the birds abundant, as well 
as seldom pursued, much less stratagem is necessary to approach 



140 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

them than if the region is thickly settled and the turkeys pro- 
portionately scarce and wary from previous hunting ; for in this 
case it requires much labor, skill, and cunning, to entice them 
within gun or rifle-shot. 

A good turkey-dog is of great consequence, Audubon remarks, 
in the pursuit of these birds, as they not only scent the game from 
a great distance, but, when up with it, perform the most essential 
service in running into their midst and forcing them to take flight 
to the trees in the utmost confusion, thus procuring for the sports- 
man the most desirable shots. 

If the turkeys were not thus scattered by the dog and made to 
take to the trees in disorder and terror, they would all make ofl" in 
a body with such suddenness and precipitancy that it would be 
impossible for the sportsman to come up with them. 

The wild turkey runs with amazing celerity, vigor, and bottom, 
insomuch that they soon outstrip both dog and rider; even when 
badly winged, it requires a swift dog to overtake them. 

Turkeys are easily killed if shot in the head or neck ; when hit 
)nly in the body they most frequently make ofi" and are lost to 
the hunter. 

It is a common practice in some localities to shoot these birds 
on their roost on moonlight nights, when they can be distinguished 
quite easily on the trees. 

Dr. Sargent states " that wild turkeys commence gobbling a 
little before the break of day, and continue on their roosts until 
broad daylight ; during this interim, the hunter can cautiously 
glide within shooting-distance of the tree upon which they are 
perched, and, silently and patiently awaiting till the dawn has 
broken, secure his game without further trouble. This march 
upon our victims, however, must be accomplished in the most 
stealthy manner; otherwise, the wary gobbler will be alarmed, and 
seek safety in the most inglorious flight." If such should be the 
case, the doctor further remarks that the sportsman must now 
remain perfectly calm and quiet for twenty minutes or so, and 
then, perhaps, by a few well-timed yelps, may be able to draw the 



THE WILD TURKEY. 141 

wary but still amorous swain within the deadly ambush. Another 
artifice has also been resorted to by the doctor, to secure this wary 
bird, by placing a tame turkey in a suitable position, with a long 
cord attached to his leg, by pulling which the uneasy captive is 
made to eluch from time to time, so as to attract the notice of any 
wild ones that are known to be concealed or feeding in the imme- 
diate vicinity ; for a gobbler, on hearing this call or cry of another, 
instantly rushes forward to meet him, and is thus easily shot 
down. 

ENEMIES. 

The wild turkey is pursued, harassed, and preyed upon, by quad- 
rupeds innumerable, as well as by the larger species of birds of 
prey. The wolf, fox, lynx, cougar, opossum, and wild cat, all prowl 
about, destroying their nests as well as their tender offspring, or, 
lying in wait, pounce upon the full-grown birds as their lawful 
prey. 

Audubon remarks, on this head, that " the lynx sucks their 
eggs, and is extremely expert at seizing both young and old, 
which he effects in the following manner: — When he has dis- 
covered a flock of turkeys, he follows them at a distance for some 
time, until he ascertains the direction in Avhich they are proceed- 
ing. He then makes a rapid circular movement, gets in advance 
of the flock, and lays himself down in ambush until the birds 
come up, when he springs upon one of them by a single bound 
and secures it. While once sitting in the woods, on the banks of 
the Wabash, I observed two large turkey-cocks on a log by the 
river, pluming and picking themselves. I watched their move- 
ments for a while, when, of a sudden, one of them flew across the 
river, while I perceived the other struggling under the grasp of a 
lynx." 

The larger species of owls, as well as hawks, are said to attack 
and destroy the full-grown birds as well as those of a more tender 
age. 

The lurking and noisome serpent also plunders the nest, a>;d 
secures the helpless brood when first merged into existence. 



142 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



MEMORANDA. 

1. Turkeys were formerly very abundant throughout the whole 
continent of North America. 

2. The gobbler does not confine his attentions to one hen, but 
oftentimes has several under his protection. 

3. The hen sits very close, and endeavors to conceal the nest 
from the cock bird. 

4. The young brood is sufficiently strong to take to the trees 
in the course of two or three weeks after hatching. 

5. Wild turkeys are not very particular as to the choice of food : 
they partake indiscriminately of all the field and forest-fruits, as 
well as the various description^ of insects and small animals which 
they encounter. 

6. At certain seasons turkeys wander over a wide extent of 
country in enormous droves. 

7. The turkey is solely a native of the New World, and the pro- 
genitor of the domestic fowl. 

8. Most probably introduced into England through the medium 
of Spain, 

9. The turkey has almost entirely disappeared from the Atlan- 
tic seaboard States. 



m)':u 





CHAPTER VIII. 

THE RUFFED GROUSE, OR PHEASANT. TETRAO UMBELLUS. 

" Two whirring pheasants swept across our path, 
And swift as lightning flew the fiery death." 



THEIR LOCALITY. 

N almost every section of our country, 
from the northernmost latitudes even as 
far south as Georgia, ruffed grouse are 
to be met with. At times they are very 
abundant in the pines of Jersey, as well 
as the mountainous ranges of the Mis- 
sissippi and Columbia Rivers. 

Numbers of grouse were formerly 
found in the higher elevations of the 
barrens of Kentucky and Tennessee ; and some remain there 
even at the present time, although far less abundant than they 

were a few years since. This particular section of country afforded 

143 




144 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

fine protection and plenty of agreeable food for these birds, and 
the regular temperature of the climate Avas at all times such as 
was most congenial to their habits. 

NOMENCLATURE. 

The ruffed grouse derives its name from the peculiar construc- 
tion of the plumage on the neck, — "a large space being left desti- 
tute of feathers, but covered over by an erectile ruff of elongated 
feathers, of which the upper are silky, shining, and curved forward 
at the end, which is very broad and rounded." 

Like most others of our game-birds, the ruffed grouse has several 
local appellations: it is called partridge in the Eastern States, 
pheasant in the Middle, and grouse in the Western. So general is 
it with us all to call this bird pheasant in Pennsylvania, and by no 
other name, that it really would appear like a piece of pedantry 
to give it its proper api)ellation of grouse; in fact, most of our 
shooters would not recognise the bird at all by this name. 

DESCRIPTION. 

The pheasant is eighteen inches long and twenty-three in ex. 
tent ; bill a horn-color ; eye reddish-hazel, immediately above which 
is a small spot of bare skin of a scarlet color ; crested head, and 
neck variegated with black, red, brown, white, and pale brown; 
sides of the neck furnished with a tuft of large black feathers, 
twenty-nine or thirty in number, which it occasionally raises ; this 
tuft covers a large space of the neck destitute of feathers ; body 
above, a bright rust-color, marked with oval spots of yellowish- 
white, and sprinkled with white spotted with olive; the tail is 
rounding, extends five inches beyond the tips of the wings, is of a 
reddish-brown, beautifully marked with numerous waving trans- 
verse hairs of black, is also crossed by a broad band of black, 
within half an inch of the tip, which is bluish-white, thickly 
sprinkled and speckled with black; body below, white, marked 
with large blotches of pale brown ; the legs are covered half-way 
to the feet with hairy down of a brownish-white color ; legs and 



THE PHEASANT. 145 

feet pale asli; toes pectinated along the sides, the two exterior 
ones joined at the base as far as the first joint by a membrane; 
vent yello-wish rust-color. The plumage of the female is less beau- 
tiful, the ruff smaller and more of a brownish color; the bar of 
black on the tail is also of a lighter color, and the plumage gene- 
rally of a lighter shade. 

Many persons confound the ruffed grouse Avith the prairie-hen; 
but this is quite wrong, as there is a striking difference between 
the two birds, not only in their plumage, but also in their modes 
of life. The former variety, it is well known to every one at all 
familiar with its habits, delights in the mountainous districts of 
our country, and is particularly partial to craggy sides of the hills, 
and the steep, rocky, and almost inaccessible banks of rivers or 
small streams; while, on the other hand, the prairie-grouse feeds 
entirely upon the open plains and clear countries of the West, and 
never, except when disturbed by the huntsman, forsakes these 
situations for the woods. 

THEIR GRADUAL EXTINCTION. 

The ruffed grouse, as well as the pinnated, is fast retiring from 
before the destructive hand of the whites; for, notwithstanding 
the broods of the former are so very prolific and their haunts so 
retired, the demand for them in our cities increases so fast that 
every encouragement is offered to the ruthless netters and trappers 
who are ever at work thinning their numbers, in season or out of 
season, as may best suit their convenience or the pampered palates 
of their guilty customers. There are, however, considerable num- 
bers of grouse in some portions of New Jersey, and many more in 
Pennsylvania and New York ; but every season sends forth a myriad 
of gunners to shoot them down, while the deep snows of our long 
winters drive them, half-famished, into the fatal traps and snares 
that are so thickly scattered over their haunts. We need hardly 
speak at this particular time of the unsportsmanlike and barbarous 
custom of shooting game out of season, or offer any comment upon 

the subject, as we have already said much thereon under another 

10 



146 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

head, and, we trust, quite enough to induce every sensible man to 
discountenance such proceedings as far as lies in his power, whether 
he be a sportsman or not ; for, unless some attention is given to 
this matter by the people generally, we may soon expect to find 
our whole Atlantic seaboard entirely destitute of game of every 
description. ; 

INCUBATION. 

The pheasant begins pairing in March and April, and the nest 
is finished in the course of two or three weeks. The most solitary 
situations are selected for incubation, and the nest itself is formed 
even more rudely than that of the partridge, but of pretty much 
the same material, and generally at the base of a small bush, tree, 
or old stump. The hen generally drops from five to twelve eggs, 
of a dull-yellowish color, without spots, and nearly the size of those 
of a Polish chicken. The nest, notwithstanding the secrecy of its 
situation, is often plundered, during the absence of the hen, by the 
crow, raven, and other cruel enemies, that are constantly on the 
watch to seize upon such delicacies as it contains. In this case 
the hen is very apt to court again the society of the cock birds, 
form a new nest, and go to laying a second time ; which fact, as 
in the partridge, has given rise to the idea of two broods in a 
season. The young leave the nest almost as soon as hatched, and 
folloAV the mother in quest of food ; if surprised during these per- 
ambulations, they skulk in the grass as young partridges do, while 
the hen resorts to the same artifices to allure the sportsman away 
from the vicinity of her tender offspring. Wilson mentions that 
on one occasion, having accidentally come upon a hen pheasant in 
company with her brood, she flew up, evidently much alarmed, 
fluttered for a few moments before him, and then darted down and 
seized one of the young in her bill and bore it off" to a place of 
safety, leaving him, of course, greatly surprised at the extra- 
ordinary incident. 

The young birds are sufficiently strong and well grown to fly a 
short distance in the course of a very few days. The cock birds 



THE PHEASANT. 147 

do not assist their mates in the care of the broods, but associate 
themselves together in small bands till the autumn, or rather the 
commencement of cold weather, when they all again mingle indis- 
criminately together, young and old. 

DRUMMING. 

Early in the spring, the forests resound far and wide, in certain 
portions of our country, with the drumming of the cock pheasant, 
Iwho adopts this rather singular method of calling the hen into his 
presence; in fact, the making of this peculiar noise is the only 
isure plan that he has of wooing his mate from her close retreat 
during the period of incubation. This operation is a very singular 
manoeuvre, and we know not better how to explain it to our readers 
than in the words of Audubon : — 

"The male bird, standing erect on a prostrate decayed trunk, 
raises the feathers of its body in the manner of a turkey-cock, 
draws its head towards its tail, erecting the feathers of the latter 
at the same time, and, raising its ruff around the neck, suffers its 
wings to drop, and struts about on the log. A few moments elapse, 
when the bird draws the whole of its feathers close to its body, 
and, stretching itself out, beats its sides with its wings in the man- 
ner of the domestic cock, but more loudly, and with such rapidity 
of motion, after a few of the first strokes, as to cause a tremor in 
the air not unlike the rumbling of distant thunder." 

This rumbling sound is called the drumming of the pheasant, 
and in clear weather may be heard a long distance off. The cock 
resorts to the same spot, if undisturbed, during the whole breeding 
season, for the purpose of performing these singular manoeuvres, 
as may very easily be proved by the large deposits of excrement and 
feathers that are always found in places suitable for this purpose. 

During the pairing season, fierce battles often take place be- 
tween the males for the possession of the females. The cocks are 
not confined entirely in their attentions to one mate, but often 
have several hens under their protection. 



148 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

MIGRATIONS. 

Like the partridge and wild turkey, pheasants are said to per- 
form partial migrations, from northwest to southeast, at the ap- 
proach of winter; but their excursions are neither so general nor 
extensive as those of the partridge. Pheasants fly with great ease, 
and do not hesitate to cross the widest rivers that obstruct their 
way during the season of migration. Audubon, speaking of these 
migrations, remarks that "no one who pays the least attention to 
the manners and habits of our birds can fail to observe them." 




FLIGHT. 

This bird, like most others of the gallinaceous order, when dis- 
turbed, flies with a loud whirring noise, even louder and moie 
startling than that made by the springing of a large covey of 
partridges. They usually fly away in a direct line, and seldom or 
never either cross the shooter or fly behind him. 

When not put to flight from fear or any other exciting cause, 
they move ofl" slowly and rather stifily, flapping their wings for 
a few seconds, and then sailing ahead. They seldom go farther 
than a few hundred yards at a time. Audubon does not think 
that any of the gallinaceous tribe, when moving through the air 
perfectly free from excitement, necessarily make a whirring sound ; 
but, on the contrary, supposes the noise is produced by the unusual 
rapidity in the motion of the wings, owing to the over-anxiety of 
the bird to escape the suspected danger. He also states that he 
has observed pheasants, as well as partridges, rise and fly ofi" of 



THE PHEASANT. 149 

their OAvn free "will without making the least noise, but, on the 
contrary, moving as lightly and silently as other birds. 

HABITS. 

The ruffed grouse, as before stated, is a very solitary bird, com- 
monly found in small packs of four to eight, in sections of the 
countr}^ where they are not too much hunted. If frequently dis- 
turbed, it is rare to find more than a single pair together. They 
delight in high, elevated districts, and love to roam about in dense 
and secluded forests, Avatered by some large stream, upon the 
precipitate banks of ■which they can repose in silence or wander 
about in search of food. At a very early hour in the morning 
they usually leave their secluded haunts and repair to the roads 
that traverse the forests, where they busy themselves in picking 
up gravel and scratching for grain in the droppings of horses. 
Ruffed grouse are also particularly partial to most kinds of seeds, 
berries, and grapes, and are always in good condition when they 
can procure a supply of wild strawberries, dewberries, and whortle- 
berries, and will not hesitate to roam long distances from their 
retreats in search of these delicacies when in season. In the 
spring, grouse feed on the tender buds of various trees, and are 
perhaps less wald then than at any other period of the year, but 
they are generally very poor and tasteless. In the winter season, 
grouse, as well as partridges, are driven to great extremes for 
food, and when the snow is very deep they depend almost entirely 
for sustenance on the buds and leaves of the mountain-laurel, 
(kalmia latifolia,) which food is said to poison their flesh so much 
that it is dangerous to partake of them. 

"We have already spoken of this circumstance when treating of 
the partridge, and avail ourselves of this opportunity to say that 
we are very sceptical on this head, and doubt very much whether a 
fresh-killed pheasant could possibly poison any one partaking of it, 
no matter how long the bird had been forced to feed upon portions of 
the shrub. We are disposed to attribute these instances of poisoning 
referred to by writers to other circumstances than the mere living 



150 lewis's AMERICAN SPOETSMAN. 

on this evergreen, and would rather consider them as the conse- 
quence of indulging in these hirds when half putrid from age, or 
even when preserved perfectly sweet for a long while after death, 
with the craws stuffed full of this plant, which might possibly 
render the flesh poisonous by the absorption or impregnation of 
its noxious juices. Such, in fact, is the opinion of most of the 
ornithologists who have given the subject their attention. As for 
ourself, we would not, and never did, hesitate to feast upon phea- 
sants at all seasonable times, and often with a full knowledge of 
their craws being stuffed with the leaves of laurel, provided we 
were satisfied that the birds had been lately killed or that they 
had been di'awn soon after being shot. 

The pheasant roosts on the ground in the thickets, or by the 
side of a tree, old log, or stump, and not unfrequently, as the par- 
tridge, makes a short flight previous to settling down for the night. 

ENEMIES. 

The pheasant, as well as the partridge, has many enemies in- 
dependent of man. Polecats, weasels, raccoons, opossums, foxes, 
crows, &c., all prey, when an opportunity ofiers, either upon the 
eggs or the young birds. The weasel attacks the old birds on 
their roosts, and the fox does not hesitate to pounce upon them 
when feeding. The larger species of hawks also destroy them ; 
and none are more fatal in their attacks upon all kinds of birds 
than the red-tailed and Stanley hawks. 

DELICACY OF THEIR MEAT. 

The flesh of the ruifed grouse is white, and is considered far 
more delicate and juicy than that of the prairie-hen, which is dark. 
We most cheerfully subscribe to this opinion, and doubt very much 
whether we have any game-bird superior to the ruffed grouse in 
point of excellency of flavor. Some of our readers, perhaps, will 
difter from us in this assertion. However, we assure them that we 
could make many converts to our opinion, provided .they were 
willing to act on our hints for cooking them, as detailed undeir 



THE PHEASANT. 151 

another head. Much depends upon the science of the cook for 
the delicacy of all game; but in no kind of game is the superiorit)^ 
of cooking shown more than in the serving up of pheasants, which 
may be rendered as tough and dry as a chip or as delicate and 
juicy as a reed-bird. It is no unusual thing to receive English 
game on this side of the water during the winter months in perfect 
condition. A few days since we dined* off both English pheasants 
and grouse, brought out by one of our steamers; both were in 
excellent order. The meat of the English pheasant is white and 
the flavor very similar to that of our bird, — more juicy, perhaps ; but 
we could not, or, it may be, would not have perceived any difference 
in the flavor, had we not been previously informed that they 
were English birds. They are larger than the American species. 
The grouse were larger than our prairie-hen, the tetrao cupido, 
and the meat dark and very juicy. 

MODES OF SHOOTING. 

Several plans are resorted to for obtaining a supply of pheasants 
for the markets of Philadelphia and New York. Many are caught 
in nets and nooses, others in traps, and numbers are shot down 
by being decoyed into ambuscades by trails of grain laid on 
the snow. These birds are extremely wary, except when pushed 
by the cravings of hunger, when they become more bold and ven- 
turesome. In districts where they are hunted after, it requires 
great caution and perseverance on the part of a shooter to bag 
them. When suddenly come upon, they often squat and lie 
close till you have passed by, when they spring up and make off 
at a tremendous speed. They generally take to the thickest 
cripples, or perch themselves in the highest forest-trees, so buried 
in the foliage that it is impossible to get sight of them, and there 
remain perfectly motionless till all danger has passed. Shoot- 
ing grouse, where they are not too scarce, is very lively sport, but 
is usually attended with great toil, more especially in the vicinity 

* At tlie kind iuvitation of our friend, Andrew Staley, Esq. 



152 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. / 

of long-settled districts, when tlie sport is generally precarious 
and uncertain. If a grouse is missed after being sprung, it is 
seldom that we can get a second shot, as they are extremely wary, 
and will not let the sportsman again come sufficiently near to 
insure a fatal eoup-de-fusil. The young birds fly very short dis- 
tances, and hardly ever rise higher than the tops of the laurels, 
where they are most frequently met with. 

When pheasants are raised on the declivity of a hill, they dive 
apparently for its base, but, after going a short distance, usually 
turn off in another direction ; and by this trick, as it may be called, 
they are very apt to mislead the inexperienced shooter. 

Audubon denies the commonly-received opinion that several of 
these birds can be shot from the same tree without disturbing the 
others, provided you commence with the lower ones first and pro- 
ceed regularly up. He states that, after repeated trials, he never 
succeeded, except in some very few instances, when there was a 
heavy fall of snow ; and even then he only obtained three or four in 
this way. In the winter season, when the snow is very deep and 
soft, pheasants, Avhen hard hunted, will occasionally bury them- 
selves in it, or rather dive into it, and emerge again at a few paces 
in advance. 

During the drumming season, these wary birds can be decoyed 
from a considerable distance by imitating this peculiar noise, which 
may be done by striking a large inflated bullock's-bladder with a 
small stick, being cautious to preserve, as far as possible, the 
marked time in which the cock bird beats. The rufied grouse being 
naturally so shy and retiring in its habits, it is not strange that it 
should not lie well to a dog ; and we do not know exactly what 
suggestions to ofi"er on this point, as we have never had much 
experience in the sport, and very few of our shooting friends are 
sufficiently au fait in the matter to give us much useful information. 
Those worthies who shoot for the markets generally go after them 
accompanied by a small mongrel terrier, or cur, which is taught to 
range through the thickets and brushwood that these birds usually 
haunt. He gives voice as freely and as lively as a well-trained 



THE PHEASANT. 153 

cocker -would do, and, by following after the bird, designates its 
course, or, perhaps, stopping under some tree Avhcre the game has 
pitched, betrays it to the shooter. This latter is called " treeing 
pheasants." Many of these apparently worthless little curs are 
very fond of this sport, and, by practice, become wonderfully expert 
in the business, and will often discover pheasants where no other 
eye could distinguish them. They are also at times taught to 
retrieve, and will pursue a wounded pheasant with a perseverance 
and courage that would often put the owners of the finest dogs to 
the blush. A dog of this kind, to a shooter for the markets, is 
worth his weight in gold, in a neighborhood where these birds are 
plenty ; and so one of them expressed himself to us, when extoll- 
ing the qualities of his ugly little brute, a short time since. And 
well he might brag upon the merits of his shooting companion, if 
he could perform one-half of the deeds attributed to him ; for, in 
a word, he was a capital watch-dog, a good-natured playfellow 
for his children, a superior pheasant-dog, a courageous ducker, an 
excellent pigger, unequalled ratter, fair on snipe, and useful on 
partridges, &c. 

If a setter be used for pheasant-shooting, — and he certainly is 
far preferable to a pointer for this sport, — he should be old and 
steady, and contented with a point at twenty or even thirty feet, 
as it is almost impossible for a dog to make a nearer approach, 
even in the closest cover, as these wild birds are constantly on the 
alert, and will make off at the first intimation of danger, either 
by taking Aving or running. Early in the season, however, when 
grouse are young, they will lie much better, and are always in fine 
condition for the table, owing to the great abundance of wild fruit 
which they can obtain. The cocker, spaniel, and springer, as stated 
in our edition of Youatt, are, no doubt, the proper dogs Avith which 
to hunt this game. When the presence of grouse is suspected, great 
caution and absolute silence are necessary to approach them, as it 
is a singular circumstance, but nevertheless a well-established 
fact, that grouse will bear the presence of a dog, or even the 
report of a gun, much better than they will a single sound of the 



154 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

human voice, — the truth of which any one can test whenever an 
opportunity offers for him to raise them when pointed by his dog. 
A single word spoken will ahvays be sufficient to do it. 

SNARES, ETC. 

Many pheasants are snared and entrapped by the same means 
resorted to in taking partridges ; and we may safely say that full 
one-half of the birds brought to market are obtained in this way, 
and not by the gun. Pheasants, when feeding, resemble the wood- 
cock in one particular ; and that is, their intolerable aversion to 
clamber or fly over any trifling obstruction which may be placed in 
their course through their feeding-grounds ; and this singularity is 
taken advantage of by the country-boys, who place a barrier 
across their haunts, a foot or more high, with small openings at 
short distances apart, set with horsehair snoods, as before de- 
scribed, and thus take laree numbers in the course of the season. 




MEMORANDA. 

1. The ruffed grouse, or, as we have consented to call it, the 
pheasant, is found in all the wild and mountainous districts of our 
country, from the most northern latitudes as far south as Georgia. 

2. They are called partridge in the Eastern, pheasant in the 
Middle, and grouse in the Southern States. There are no phea- 
sants, properly speaking, in America. 

3. These birds commence pairing in March and April. The 
nest usually contains from five to twelve eggs. 



THE PHEASANT. 



155 



4. The cock pheasant is not faithful to one mate alone ; neither 
does he assist in incubation, or in the care of the brood. They 
associate together in small bands till the young are full-grown, 
when they all pack indiscriminately together. 

5. The cock bird attracts the attention of the hen, and allures 
her from her nest, by making a peculiar noise, termed drumminof. 

6. At the drumming season they are very pugnacious, and fre- 
quent battles take place among the males at this time. 

7. The prevalent opinion that the flesh of the pheasant becomes 
poisonous by partaking of the leaves and berries of the mountain- 
laurel is all fallacious, and may without hesitation be classed 
amonor the list of vulgar errors. 

8. Pheasants are partial to wild strawberries, dewberries, whortle- 
berries, &c. — in fact, all kinds of fruit ; their flesh is white, and 
far more delicate than that of the prairie-hen. 





^^:;^^~~ -^^- ^ 



CHAPTER IX. 

PINNATED GROUSE, OR PRAIRIE-HEN. TETRAO CUPIDO. 

" Hurrah for the prairie I No blight on its breeze, 
No mist from the mountains, no shadow from trees." 



DESCRIPTION. 

HIS species of grouse is very different in 

many respects from the last-mentioned 

variety. Its appearance, habits, flesh, 

are all quite dissimilar, and we regret 

never having had very full opportunities 

for studying these interesting birds in 

their natural haunts, — the rich prairies 

of the Far West. However, we, as many 

others, have this pleasure still in anticipation, and in the mean time 

v/ill endeavor to lay before our sporting friends all the information 

upon this head which we have culled from reading and conversing 

with those who have been in the habit of hunting these birds for 
156 




THE PRAIRIE-HEN. 157 

years past, and trust, at all events, that we shall succeed in 
niakuig this chapter as interesting as some others ■which we have 
compiled for the benefit of sportsmen. 

Wilson thus describes this bird: — The pinnated grouse is nine- 
teen inches long, twenty-seven inches in extent, and when in good 
order weighs about three pounds and a half ; the neck is furnished 
with supplemental wings, each composed of eighteen feathers, five, 
of which are black and about three inches long, the rest shorter, 
also black, streaked laterally with brown, and of unequal length ; 
the head is slightly crested ; over the eye is an elegant semicir- 
cular comb of rich orange, which the bird has the power of raising 
or relaxing ; under the neck-wings are two loose pendulous and 
wrinkled skins, extending along the sides of the neck for two- 
thirds of its length, each of which, when inflated, resembles in 
bulk, color, and surface, a middle-sized orange ; chin cream- 
colored ; under the eye runs a dark streak of broAvn ; whole upper 
parts mottled transversely with black, reddish-brown, and white ; 
tail short, very much rounded, and of a plain brownish soot-color; 
throat elegantly marked with touches of reddish-brown, white, and 
black ; lower parts of the breast and belly pale brown, marked 
transversely with white ; legs covered to the toes with hairy down 
of a dirty drab-color ; feet dull yellow, toes pectinated ; vent 
whitish ; bill brownish horn-color, eye reddish-hazel. The female 
is considerably less ; of a lighter color, destitute of the neck- 
wings, the naked yellow skin on the neck, the semicircular comb 
of yellow over the eye. 

LOCATION.' 

The prairie-hen was, no doubt, at one time widely disseminated 
over our whole country, more particularly in those portions inter- 
spersed with dry, open plains surrounded by thin shrubbery or 
scantily covered with trees. Unlike the ruffed grouse, this bird 
delights in the clear, open prairie-grounds, and will desert those 
districts entirely Avhich in the lapse of time become covered with 
forests. These birds are very rare — in fact, may almost be cou- 



158 lewis's amekican sportsman. 

sidered extinct in the Northern and Middle States. Within a fe'W 
years they were quite abundant on some portions of Long Island. 
They were also to be found in Burlington county, New Jersey, 
and in some few other places. There are, however, still a few to 
be found on the Jersey plains, and every season we hear of some 
of our sporting acquaintances exterminating a small pack. We 
know of ten braces being killed this season, (1848,) and about the 
same number last year, by the same party ; and, as usual, in both 
instances these scarce and beautiful birds were butchered long 
before the time sanctioned by the strong — or rather the weak — arm 
of the law. 

Thus it is that the destructive hand of the would-be respectable 
poacher, as well as the greedy gun of the pot-hunter, hastens to 
seal the fate of the doomed prairie-hen in these Eastern regions ; 
and we may predict with great certainty that ere long not one will 
be found save upon the rich plains of the West ; from which, also, 
in course of time, they Avill be driven, and ultimately perish, root 
and branch, from before the unerring guns of their ruthless de- 
stroyers. We understand that there are still a few of these birds 
to be found in Pennsylvania, we believe in Northampton county, 
where the pine forests are thin and open, and the country about 
them such as prairie-hens delight in. They have always been 
abundant in the barrens of Kentucky and Tennessee, as also in 
the balmy plains and fertile prairies of Louisiana, Indiana, and 
Illinois. So numerous were they a short time since in the barrens 
of Kentucky, and so contemptible were they as game-birds, that 
few huntsmen would deign to waste powder and shot on them. In 
fact, they were held in pretty much the same estimation, or rather 
abhorrence, that the crows are now in Pennsylvania or other of 
the Middle and Southern States, as they perpetrated quite as much 
mischief upon the tender buds and fruits of the orchards, as well 
as the grain in the fields, and were often so destructive to the crops 
that it was absolutely necessary for the farmers to employ their 
young negroes to drive them away by shooting off guns and spring- 
ing loud rattles all around the plantations from morning till night. 



THE rRAIRTE-HEN. 159 

As for eating them, such a thing was hardly dreamed of, the 
negroes themselves preferring the coarsest food to this now much- 
admired bird; while the young sportsman exercised his skill in 
rifle-shooting upon them, in anticipation of more exciting sport 
among the other prized denizens of the plain and forest. Prairie- 
chickens have not only deserted Long Island, Martha's Vineyard, 
Elizabeth Island, New Jersey, and their other haunts to the east- 
ward, but they have also removed even farther west than the bar- 
rens of Kentucky, and are no longer to be found abundant save in 
Illinois, and on the extensive plains of the Missouri, Arkansas, and 
Columbia Rivers. 

PERIOD OF PAIRING. 

As soon as the winter breaks up, the pairing season commences, 
generally in March or early in April ; then it is that one can dis- 
tinguish the well-known booming sound of the male bird, known as 
the "tooting" of the cock. This singular noise is produced by the 
inflation and exhalation of the two small bags which are found on 
the neck, and appear to be formed by the expansion of the skin of 
the gullet, which, when not filled with air, hangs in loose, pendu- 
lous, wrinkled folds. 

Audubon remarks: — "When the receptacles of air, which, in 
form, color, and size, resemble a small orange, are perfectly in- 
flated, the bird lowers its head to the ground, opens its bill, and 
sends forth, as it were, the air contained in these bladders in dis- 
tinctly-separated notes, rolling one after another from loud to low, 
and producing a sound like that of a large mufiled drum. This 
done, the bird immediately erects itself, refills its receptacles by 
inhalation, and again proceeds with its footings.'' " 

This "tooting" can be heard at times as far ofi" as a mile, more 
particularly on a clear, mild morning. If the air-cells be punc- 
tured with a small, sharp instrument of any kind, they cannot, of 
course, be again inflated, and the "tootings," consequently, are at 
an end. 

These birds, like the ruffed grouse, are extremely pugnacious at 



160 LEAVIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

these times, and during the early period of incubation the males 
meet at early dawn at particular spots termed '''• scratcliing- 
grounds,'' where thej toot and strut about with extended wings 
and wide-spread tails, much in the pompous style of turkey-gob- 
blers ; and, after a little while thus spent in expressing their wrath 
and defiance, they engage in the most obstinate and sanguinary 
conflicts, not inferior to the battles often witnessed between game- 
cocks. 

During these encounters, they spring up in the air and strike 
their antagonists with the utmost fury, and oftentimes with the 
greatest effect; feathers are freely plucked from each other's 
bodies, and their eyes are not unfrequently seriously injured be- 
fore one or other of the combatants gives way and flies to the 
woods for shelter. A friend of the author, who is very familiar 
with the habits of these birds, informs him that last spring he wit- 
nessed, for over an hour, a series of battles between a number of 
these birds upon a favorite '■'■beat., or scratching-gj'ound," and de- 
clares that, after they had all retired, he might have picked up a 
hatful of feathers which they had torn from one another. 

The nest is formed upon the ground, in a very secret spot upon 
the open plain, or perhaps at the foot of a small bush. It is rudely 
constructed with a few leaves and particles of grass, and contains 
from eight to twelve eggs of a brownish dirt-color, and somewhat 
larger than those of the Tetrao umbellus. The prairie-hen sits 
eighteen or nineteen days. 

The birds are able to run a very short time after hatching, and 
the mother alone attends upon them, supplying them with food, 
calling them around her by a cluck, and nestling them under her 
wings at nightfall or Avhen the weather proves unfavorable, very 
much in the style of the common barn-hen. When the young 
leave the nest the hen separates from her mate. The pinnated 
grouse is not so retiring and secluded in its disposition as the other 
variety, and is not very difficult to domesticate even when taken 
wild, as it soon becomes tame and accustomed to the presence of 
man. 



THE PRAIRIE-HEN. ICl 

Audubon cut the tips of the wings of sixty of those birds towards 
the close of the summer, and turned them out into an enclosure, 
where thej remained quite contented the whole winter through, 
and soon became sufficiently gentle to feed from the hands of his 
wife. They appeared quite unmindful of their former state of 
freedom, and conducted themselves A'ery similarly to the tame 
foAvls, with Avhich they often mingled on the most friendly footing. 
In the spring, they "tooted" and strutted about in the most pom- 
pous style imaginable, even as much so as if they w^ere still in their 
native haunts, and even coupled and hatched many broods. Their 
pugnacious tempers would not permit them to quail even before 
the threatening presence of the largest turkey, and they would not 
unfrequently take a round or two with the dunghill-cocks of the 
poultry-yard. The pinnated grouse, as the other variety, hatch 
but one brood each season, except Avhen disturbed, as they are fre- 
quently, by the crows, hawks, polecats, raccoons, and other ani- 
mals. When wandering about Avith their young, if interrupted, 
they resort to the same artifices as the partridge to protect their 
young. Their food consists of seeds of the sumach, grapes, grain, 
wild strawberries, cranberries, partridge-berries, whortleberries, 
blackberries, and young buds. They also partake of worms, 
grasshoppers, flies, and insects generally. In the winter season 
they eat acorns, the tender buds of the pine, clover-leaves, and, 
when convenient to their haunts, will frequent buckwheat and 
other stubbles. 

They are said to remain stationary during the whole year round, 
and show no disposition to migrate or travel, as the ruffed grouse 
or partridge. They affect the dryest situations, and avoid as far 
as possible marshy or wet places, and partake very sparingly of 
water ; in fact, depend entirely for a supply of this fluid from the 
morning dew, which they collect from off the leaves of plants. 
So dry are the situations which these birds generally frequent, that 
it is absolutely necessary to carry water along for the dogs ; other- 
wise, they will soon be entirely overcome by thirst. 

11 



162 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



FLIGHT. 

If surprised, the pinnated grouse rises with a moderate whirring 
sound ; but, if they discover the sportsman at a distance, they run 
off with the utmost speed, then squat and remain perfectly silent 
till passed by or put up by the dog. Their flight is strong, regu- 
lar, and tolerably swift, and at times, according to Audubon, pro- 
tracted to several miles without intermission. They fly less rapidly i 
than the ruffed grouse, and often repeat two or three duckings 
when about to spring or "when on the wing ; they also frequently 
take to the branches of the highest forest-trees, and, if then shot, 
they fall and turn round and round with great violence, not unlike 
a common chicken, till dead. If slightly wounded only, they run - 
with great swiftness, and hide themselves in some secluded spot, 
where they remain motionless. 

FEEDING AND ROOSTING. 

Prairie-chickens resort to their feeding-ground at a very early 
hour of the day, and retire towards noon to preen and dust them- I 
selves in the ploughed fields or along the roads, and do not come 
out again till late in the afternoon. 

They do not, as a general thing, roost on trees, but, like the 
partridge, they select a little eminence of ground in the open field, 
and squat about within a few feet of each other; at all events, 
such is their usage during a greater portion of the year. 

When the several broods have united and formed packs, they 
are said to resort to the trees and fences to roost, which habit they 
continue till the following season of pairing. 




THE PRAIRIE- II EN. 163 

TIME FOR SHOOTINa. 

Tlie pot-liuntcr -who shoots for the markets hunts these birds 
long before the broods are Avell grown; the real sportsman, hoA^- 
ever, does not think of going after them before the middle of Au 
gust, when the young birds are so large that it is even difficult to 
tell them from the old ones, save by their bills and feet. 

The various broods remain separate and distinct till the latter 
part of September or early in October, when they unite together, 
forming packs in many instances containing several hundred. 

As observed under the following heading, prairie-hens are not 
much esteemed during the winter months, and consequently are 
not generally sought after by the epicurean sportsmen, who deem 
it but just and right that our game should be killed only at those 
periods when it is in its best condition. 

THEIR FLESH. 

The comparative merits of the meat of these two varieties of 
grouse are often a subject of discussion among sportsmen and 
epicures, whose opinions are often entirely at variance. We know 
very well that the tastes of people are much influenced by circum- 
stances, and we are all apt to relish that most which it is viost 
difficult to obtain ; and the residents of those parts where prairie- 
hens are abundant, as a matter of course, generally prefer the white 
and delicate meat of the ruffed grouse, while those that live in the 
Atlantic States, and seldom or never see a prairie-hen, greatly 
prefer the dark meat of the latter bird, as it is to them a greater 
novelty and luxury than the other. They are considered a great 
delicacy at the East, and, when exposed for sale, command extra- 
vagant prices, — seldom less than five dollars a brace ; although we 
have purchased superior ones in the Philadelphia markets for two 
dollars, and even less.* We do not think them equal, by any 

* The price of these birds, since the opening of the various direct avenues to 
the West, is very much reduced, and will continue so till the Eastern demand 
causes them tc be exterminated at all accessible points. 



164 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



means, in point of flavor to the ruffed grouse. We should re- 
member, Iiowever, that the flesh of the prairie-chicken is far more 
tender and juicy during the months of August and September 
than at any subsequent period. We at the eastward, therefore, 
seldom if ever partake of them in their best condition, as the 
weather is then too warm to admit of their transportation. 

At this time the flesh of the prairie-fowl is also light-colored, 
whereas in the winter season, when we usually receive them from 
the West, it becomes very dark, and is but little esteemed by those 
accustomed to hunt them. 

OTHER VARIETIES. 

There are other varieties of grouse found within the limits of 
the United States, two of which we will merely mention. They 
are occasionally met with in the wilds of Maine and Massachu- 
setts, but are more common in Canada. Their haunts are very 
secluded, and they seldom encounter the form of a human being, 
and consequently are not much alarmed at his presence. Their 
flesh is dark, and resembles that of the prairie-hen : — Tetrao saliceti, 
willow grouse ; and Tetrao Canadensis, the spotted or Canada 
grouse. 




THE PRAIRIE-HEN. 165 



MEMORANDA. 

1. The prairie-hen is now almost exclusively confined to the 
open champaign countries of the West. 

2. Their habits and modes of life are very different from those 
of the ruffed grouse ; the one seeking the seclusion of the deepest 
forests, while the other delights only in the open plains. 

3. The time of pairing, period of incubation, number of young, 
and habits of male birds, all much the same as the ruffed grouse. 

4. The cock birds at the pairing season are heard "tooting" in- 
stead of "drumming;" they are very pugnacious, and fight Avith 
great spirit among themselves during the period of courtship. 

5. Unlike the ruffed grouse, the pinnated are easily domesticated, 
and will pair and hatch in captivity ; they exhibit no disposition to 
migrate, as the other variety does. 

6. Their meat is dark, and inferior to that of the ruffed grouse. 





THE WOODCOCK. SCOLOPAX MINOR. 

"Hie in ! At that glad word away they dart, 
And, winding various ways, with careful speed 
Explore the cover. Hark! that quest proclaims 
The woodcock's haunt." 



THE CLAIMS OF THE WOODCOCK. 

HAT bird is there in the catalogue of 
the American sportsman which surpasses 
the woodcock, whether we consider the 
beauty of its plumage, its general con- 
tour, the richness and delicacy of its 
meat, or the pleasure derived from shoot 
ing it? Sportsmen eagerly pursue this 
interesting and noble bird in every quarter 
where he makes his appearance, and ex 
perience more gratification in the display 

of a couple of woodcocks than they would in the triumphant exhi- 
166 




THE WOODCOCK. 167 

bition of double or treble the same number of partridges, or any 
others of the feathered tribe. There seems to be something pecu- 
liarly attractive to the true sportsman in the very appearance 
of this bird; for how often do we observe him examine with de- 
light the long and slender bill, variegated plumage, tapering legs, 
and large, mellow black eyes of each innocent victim, before con- 
signing him to the game-bag, and even exhibit more than ordinary 
care in smoothing down and arranging his ruffled and bloody 
feathers. 

We, with the rest of shooters, both American and English, arc 
quite an admirer of this bird, and derive more satisfaction from 
killing a few couples of them than we do in the slaughter of a 
multitude of rails or a fair proportion of partridges. Why we 
have this feeling we will not pretand to explain ; but we know that 
we have it, and have noticed it in others, and have more than 
once watched, with some degree of astonishment, the eagerness 
with which most of our friends seek to bring down a solitary wood- 
cock, that perchance is seen to flutter across their path when in 
pursuit of other game, and, if successful, they always evince more 
self-satisfaction than if they had bagged two or three brace of par- 
tridges. In England, Avhere these birds are much less plentiful 
than they are Avith us, '■'■ cock-shooting'' is highly prized — in fact, 
is considered by many as the ^'•fox-hunting''' of shooting; while 
all lovers of the dog and gun regard a good day's woodcock-shoot- 
ing as the very ne jjlus ultra of sport ; and Watts, in his versifica- 
tion of field-sports, thus cautions the anxious shooter when in quest 
of this game: — 

"Have patience; recollect my words: 
A couple of these precious birds 
Yield more delight to sportsmen true 
Than any other game can do." 

These doggerel lines, though they do not in themselves make 
any great pretensions to the chaste harmony of poesy, are, never- 
theless, sufficiently expressive to show the estimation of this bird 
in the eyes of the English gentry. 



168 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE WOODCOCK. 

The nomenclature of the woodcock, like that of most other of 
our game-birds, is somewhat confused, being known in various sec- 
tions of our country under the different appellations of mud-snipe, 
blind snipe, big-headed snipe, marsh-plover, and woodhens. The 
latter title, however, is not often applied to this bird, except by 
the over-fastidious and scrupulously chaste huckster-women of our 
market-houses. 

DESCRIPTION. 

The male woodcock is ten inches and a half long and sixteen in 
extent ; bill, brownish flesh-color, black towards the tip ; the upper 
mandible ending in a slight knob, which projects one-tenth of an 
inch beyond the lower, two inches and a half long, and grooved ; 
forehead, line over the eye, and whole lower parts reddish tawny ; 
sides of the neck inclining to ash; from the fore part of the eye 
backwards^ black, crossed by three narrow bands of brownish- 
white; back and scapulars deep black, each feather tipped or 
marbled with light brown and light ferruginous, with numerous 
fine zigzag lines of black crossing the lighter parts ; quills, plain 
dusky brown; tail, black, each feather marked along the outer 
edges, drab-color above, and silvery-white below; lining of the 
wing bright-rust ; legs and feet a pale-reddish color ; eye very full 
and black, seated high and very far back in the head; weight, five 
ounces and a half, sometimes six. 

"The female is twelve inches long and eighteen in extent, 
weighs eight ounces, and differs also in having the bill very nearly 
three inches in length ; the black on the back is not quite so in- 
tense, and the sides under the wings are slightly barred with 
dusky." 

COMPARED WITH THE ENGLISH VARIETY. 

This bird is considerably smaller than the foreign variety; in 
fact, weighs fully one-third less, seldom exceeding six or nine 



THE WOODCOCK. 169 

ounces; while the ordinary weight of the English cock is never 
loss than twelve or fourteen ounces, and two are mentioned by 
writers as having been killed weighing sixteen and seventeen 
ounces respectively. We have never met with an American hire* 
heavier than nine and a half ounces, save in one instance, although 
we have been induced to test the weight of many birds of our own 
shooting, as well as those exposed in the markets, that seemed to 
us remarkably fine specimens and perhaps above the usual stand- 
ard in point of size, but have generally been disappointed in the 
results; for they have seldom reached eight ounces. A seven- 
ounce bird makes a fine show, and must be full-grown, and in good 
condition, to weigh this much. We shot a very fine cock last 
season that Aveighed over ten ounces, and it now adorns our 
cabinet.* 

The plumage of these two varieties is also considerably different, 
and the flesh of the American bird is pronounced superior in rich- 
ness and juiciness to the English. 

ONE SPECIES ONLY. 

Many of our sporting friends believe that there are two species 
of woodcocks indigenous to America, — a large and a small variety. 
This, however, is not the case, but an error — and a very natural 
one — arising from the great disparity in the respective sizes of the 
male and female bird. The latter, strange to say, is much the 
largest, and not unfrequently weighs two, three, and even four 
ounces more than the male bird. 

HABITS OF AVOODCOCKS. 

The habits of Avoodcocks are very interesting, and in some mea- 
sure mysterious. They are migratory, and extend their journey- 
ings as far north as the Canadas and as far south as Florida. 

* G. D. AVethei-ill, Esq., informed us, a few days since, that a gentleman sent 
him, a year or two ago, a woodcock that weighed fourteen ounces, which was shot 
in New Jersey, and it was his intention to have had it mounted, but, owing to the 
I negligence of the party who brought the bird, it was too far gone before he re- 
ceived it. 



170 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

They breed and rear their young throughout the Middle and 
Northern States, and at the approach of winter move off to the Far 
South, in quest of the rich and loamy soil of those temperate 
climes. Notwithstanding the greater mass of these birds migrate 
south, there is but little doubt that numbers of them remain in 
Pennsylvania, Jersey, and Delaware, during the whole winter 
through, as it is no unusual circumstance to shoot an occasional 
cock at all periods of the cold weather in these States. Early in 
the spring, woodcocks abandon their winter-quarters in the South, 
and betake themselves to the Northern States for the purpose of 
incubation; some fcAV, however, it is not unlikely, remain in the 
higher elevations and marshy solitudes of the South the whole 
summer through, and there accomplish those promptings of nature 
which impel so many of their brethren to seek the cool alder-swamps 
of the Far North. 

FORMATION OF THE HEAD. 

The formation of the head is somewhat remarkable, and is a 
striking peculiarity of the woodcock. It is large and triangular. 
The large, prominent black eyes, set far back in the temples, a 
considerable distance from the bill, give it rather a strange but 
bold and expressive appearance ; and there are few pictures more 
pleasing to the eye of a sportsman than the sight of a startled 
woodcock just on the point of springing, or rather when in the 
attitude of fear, arising from the stealthy approach of the shooter. 
Notwithstanding woodcocks possess such beautiful large eyes, their 
vision in full day is very incomplete ; in fact, they are incapable 
of supporting a glaring light, and consequently see much bettei 
in the twilight than at any other time.* 

Woodcocks are essentially night-birds, and remain concealed, 
during a greater portion of the day, in secluded thickets, or hid 

* M. T. W. Chandler, Esq., informs us that he knew of two instances in which 
woodcocks flew in bright day against a brick dwelling and were killed. 

These two facts are of themselves sufficient to prove the imperfect vision of thia 
bird in the daytime, or they certainly would not have made such a mistake in their 
course. 



THE WOODCOCK. 171 

away in the rank tussocks of the marshes, and only feed freely in 
the open grounds at early dawn or towards sunset. This will be 
seen more particularly when we come to speak of the habits of 
these birds along the ridges of the Southern rivers. "When favored 
by moonlight, woodcocks wander about in search of food during 
the whole night, and at such times, like rails, become very fat. 
We do not pretend to assert that woodcocks feed only during the 
hours of twilight or moonlight, but that, from the peculiar position 
and construction of their eyes, they are far better calculated to 
move about at these times than any other. 

The darker and more dense the covert, the better is it suited for 
the haunt of Avoodcocks, as, their eyes being so very large and 
set so far back in the head, they are enabled to collect every faint 
ray of light which penetrates through the thickest and most en- 
tangled foliage; and in such places they may be seen running 
about and feeding during the bright sunshine. 

There is no bird of which country-people are more ignorant 
than of the woodcock, as they are seldom seen by any except those 
Avho go in quest of them in their wet and often dreary haunts ; and 
the confiding and inquisitive sportsman will often be led astray if 
he listens to the silly reports of our agriculturists respecting them, 
and perhaps find himself on the track of a company of sandpipers, 
woodpeckers, or other less dainty and interesting birds. 




FOOD. 

This timid and unsocial occupant of our woody delves and rank 
marshes does not, as is erroneously supposed by many, live by means 
of suction; but their food is composed of worms and several sjio- 



172 LEAVIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

cies of larvoe, which they find concealed under the leaves and turf 
of the thickets, as well as in the open bogs. Some sportsmen 
assert that when cocks are feeding they strike their long bills into 
the soil, and then, raising their bodies high on their feet, they open 
their wings and flutter round and round until they have sunk their 
bills sufficiently far into the ground to reach their prey. We do 
not know positively Avhether cocks perform these rather singular 
gyrations, or, more artistically speaking, "pirouettes," but must 
confess that we are rather dubious on the subject, as, with our 
liberal opportunities of observing the habits of game-birds, we 
have never yet been able to discover a woodcock thus employed, 
although on one occasion in particular we watched a couple feeding 
for more than an hour, and only noticed them dexterously turn 
over the withered leaves, and every now and then probe, with the 
greatest facility, the rich loamy soil with their long slender bills. 
We are inclined to believe that this report of the feeding of the 
woodcock is more the result of imagination than of actual observa- 
tion, like many other vulgar errors respecting natural history. It 
is possible, however, that these birds might be tempted to resort to 
some such process as the above to enable them to bury their 
slender bills deep into the earth in some particular spots where 
the soil is extremely dry ; but, unfortunately for the support even 
of this hypothesis, woodcocks are never found in such places, and 
even if they were, they could not hope to extract from such a soil 
their usual food, no matter how deep their pirouetting might enable 
them to bore. We would, however prefer abandoning entirely this 
fanciful idea, and should not perhaps have given it as much 
attention as we already have, had we not found the subject re- 
ferred to by a very respectable writer of our country, who seems, 
from his remarks, to give some credence to the report.* 

The American cock, without doubt, feeds in the same way 
as the European variety, and which is minutely described by a 
close observer, who had a fair opportunity of studying the habits 

* We refer to the remarks of J. S. Skinner, Esq., on this head. 



THE WOODCOCK. 173 

of these interesting birds, in the aviary of St. Ildephonso, in 
Spain. 

"There Avas," says Mr. Bowles, "a fountain perpetually flowing 
to keep the ground moist, and trees planted for the same purpose ; 
fresh sod was brought, the richest in worms that could be found. 
In vain did the worms seek concealment when the woodcock was 
hungry; it discovered them by the smell, stuck its bill into the 
ground, but never higher than the nostrils, drew them out singly, 
and, raising its bill into the air, it extended upon it the entire 
length of the worm, and in this way SAvallowed it smoothly, with- 
out any action of the jaws. The whole operation was performed 
in an instant, and the motion of the Avoodcock was so equal and 
imperceptible that it seemed doing nothing. It never missed its 
aim : for this reason, and because it never plunged its bill beyond 
the orifice of the nostrils, I concluded that smell was what directed 
it in search of food." 

With the foregoing quotation we will dismiss the subject, trust- 
ing that some of our friends may yet enlighten us if they should 
ever catch a woodcock engaged in these evolutions. 

'THE BILL. 

The bill of the woodcock is well supplied with nerves, and is so 
extremely sensitive to the touch that few worms can hope to 
escape its searching explorations, if within two or three inches of 
the surface of the soft earth into which they delight so much to 
bore. Woodcocks are very greedy, or rather we should say vora- 
cious, birds, and are both vexatious and difficult to keep in a state 
of captivity, owing to the trouble consequent upon obtaining a 
sufficiency of their usual food for them. An English writer ob- 
serves of this bird: — "A woodcock in our menagerie very soon 
discovered and drew forth every worm in the ground, which was 
dug up to enable him to bore ; and worms put into a large garden- 
pot, covered with earth five or six inches deep, are always cleared 
by the next morning, without one being left. The enormous quan- 
tity of worms that these birds eat is scarcely credible ; indeed, it 



174 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

would be the constant labor of one person to procure sucli food for 
two or tbree woodcocks. The difficulty of procuring a sufficiency 
of such precarious aliment determined us to try if bread and milk 
would not be a good substitute ; and we found that by putting clean 
washed worms into the mess, the bird soon acquired a taste for 
this new food, and will now eat a basin of bread and milk in 
twenty-four hours besides the worms it can procure." 

We quote these remarks in support of our assertion as to the 
voracity of these birds, and also for the information of any one 
who may have a fancy to keep one of them, either as a pet, or for 
the more laudable purpose of observing its habits. This singular 
voracity on the part of woodcocks is no doubt one of the principal 
causes of the unsocial and solitary lives which the Avhole species 
seem to prefer, as no one spot, however rich in worms or larvae, is 
capable of producing sufficient food for any length of time for 
more than one of these greedy cormorants. 

INCUBATION. 

Woodcocks begin laying in April, sometimes much earlier: the 
nest is formed in a very artless manner, generally composed of a 
few dried leaves or small portions of grass, and situated at the foot 
of an old stump or tussock, within a copse or thick wood. It 
usually contains three, four, or five brown-spotted eggs, over an 
inch long. The period of incubation is about the same time with 
the partridge — three weeks ; and the young leave the nest a short 
tune after escaping from the shell, but are not by any means as 
expert at running as young partridges, it being no uncommon cir- 
cumstance to catch young, cocks, but very difficult, on the other 
hand, to make captive a young partridge, even when only a day 
or two old. I 

At this season of the year the male bird is said to perform, at 
times, more particularly about early dawn, some very singular 
manoeuvres : rising by a kind of spiral course to a considerable 
height in the air, uttering a sudden or sharp "quack," till, having 
gained his utmost elevation, he hovers round in a wide, irregular 



THE WOODCOCK. 175 

manner, making a sort of murmuring sound, and then descends 
with the same rapidity that he arose. This movement, accom- 
panied by the short, discordant note or "quack," is the call of the 
male to his favorite female. 

We must not forget to mention one other peciiliarity of these 
birds, and that is the somewhat extraordinary habit they have of 
carrying their young on their backs from place to place. We have 
never been so fortunate as to see a woodcock adopt this novel mode 
of conveyance for her young, and must confess that we are rather 
skeptical on the subject, although we have heard it from others 
who have witnessed it, — at least, they told us so, and of course we 
could not doubt their word, though we might have thought of the 
"traveller's privilege." Notwithstanding the improbability of the 
whole ajBair, it is well supported by the assertions of Viellot, in 
his G-aUrie des Oiseaux, for he states that such is the fact, and, 
moreover, that he has seen them do it "plusieurs fois." 

Many persons believe that woodcocks raise two broods each 
season. Whether or not this is the case in the Northern States, it 
is diflBlcult to say ; we do not doubt, however, that such is often the 
fact, when circumstances exist similar to those that drive the par- 
tridge to a second incubation. "Frank Forester" expresses him- 
self quite positively on this point, and we know no one in whose 
opinions upon such matters we ought to place so much confidence, 
as this accomplished sportsman has certainly had ample opportu- 
nity, as well as inclination, to ascertain such interesting facts, 




176 lewis's AMERICAN SPORT ZM AN. ^^^^ 

He says : — " The ordinary number at a hatching is four birds, and 
if the first brood gets off early the parents immediately proceed 
to a second incubation, the male bird in this case taking care of 
the first brood until the second gets off, when all associate together 
until the moulting season, when all ties are dissolved, and they 
know thenceforth neither kindred nor kindness." If the season 
is very forward and mild, woodcocks' nests may be found even as 
early as March or perhaps the latter part of February. 

TIME FOR SHOOTING COCKS. 

If the weather continues favorable during the breeding season, 
many young birds are large enough, throughout the Middle States, 
to shoot in July, but many more half-grown ones will be found. 

If we could hope to exert any influence over the shooting pro- 
pensities of the sporting community, we Avould advise them to 
abstain from hunting these birds till late in September, or rather 
October, when their age and increased size render them not only 
a savory dish for the table, but the rapidity of their flight insures 
them some chance of escape from the ever ready gun. No sports- 
man can take any particular credit to himself for the wholesale 
slaughter of young cocks during the month of July, as at this time 
many of their victims can scarcely fly over a few yards, and might 
as well be knocked down with a long pole as fired at with a gun. 
However, both custom and the laws have sanctioned the barbarous 
habit of shooting these birds at a much earlier period than October ; 
in fact, have given license for their destruction when only half 
fledged, and when, perhaps, the old birds are still engaged in the 
hatching or rearing of a second brood. By the passage of these 
injudicious enactments, our State legislators actually adopt and 
encourage a certain plan to render this species of game, as well as 
other kinds, nearly extinct throughout the country, in the course 
of some few years. All we might say upon this subject would 
avail but little, without the cheerful assistance of more wise 
legislation. We therefore pass it by with these few observations 
to all intelligent and liberal sportsmen, trusting that no gentleman 



THE WOODCOCK. 177 

who follows the sports of the field as a manly and noble pastime 
will henceforth be so recreant to the cause of humanity, and so 
blind to the high duties of the craft, as to be seen with a gun in 
his hand, at all events, in the month of June, in quest of the feeble 
young cocks. 

At this early period all will acknowledge that woodcocks are 
under the parental care, and generally are too weak to raise their 
tender limbs above the tops of the lowest thickets, and not unfre- 
qucntly they drop dead from mere fright on the discharge of the 
fowling-piece. 

Such conduct on the part of shooters who ought to know better 
is ' disgraceful in the extreme ; and we cannot understand what 
pleasure can be derived from killing these miserable little birds 
one moment before the time set apart for their destruction, as they 
are too small and insipid for the table even in July ; and honorable 
sportsmen should not take any pride in doing that which they are 
forced to do by stealth, as is necessarily the case if they go after 
them in the latter part of June. Every day — nay, every hour — 
of existence is of the utmost importance to woodcocks at this 
period of the year : the destruction of a single old one may involve 
the loss of a Avhole brood of young ones, which, if a few days older, 
would have been able to take care of themselves. We know of 
several sportsmen in our city who are in the habit of slipping off a 
few days before the close of June, to have, as they term it, " the 
first crack at the cocks;" and we hope that their eyes may meet 
with these remarks, and that they may relish them in the right 
spirit and mend their ways accordingly. 

The law does not sanction the shooting of these birds, in our 

Northern States, before the fourth of July ; and it would have been 

far better if the framers of those legal enactments had prolonged 

the term of prohibition through the months of July and August. 

Some sportsmen, in justification of their wanton amusement, will 

tell us, no doubt, that cocks are a migratory and uncertain bird, 

and if we do not kill them in the summer we may not have the 

opportunity of doing it in the autumn, as they will abandon their 

12 



178 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

old feeding-grounds for the Far South, or other spots equally re- 
mote. This is not the case ; for woodcocks, as before mentioned, 
remain with us till the cold weather sets in, and if they were not 
slaughtered in such immense numbers during June and July we 
should haA'e an abundance of them in the months of September and 
October. But the fact is, they are nearly all killed during these 
months, and the few which are left unharmed have become so wild 
and cunning that they are difficult to be got at. We all know that 
it is no very unusual thing for even a tolerable shot to bag fifteen 
or twenty couples of young cocks in the course of one day's shoot- 
ing ; and well may he do it, and make a brag of it besides, when 
he goes after birds which may be shot on their nests, or are being 
led about by their anxious parents in quest of food. 

The game-laws of most of our States are a '^mere bagatelle," 
that no one regards ; in other words, they are all a dead letter, as 
there are no appointed agents intrusted with the care of them, 
and there are fcAV if any persons willing to take upon themselves 
the trouble and responsibility of enforcing them, or calling wilful 
offenders to account for their many misdeeds. Hundreds of trans- 
gressors consequently escape year after year, unwhipped of justice, 
until at last they lose sight of the law, if there be any, entirely, 
and stalk boldly over the country, destroying game in season and 
out of season, just when it suits their fancy or inclination. Why 
do the inhabitants of New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and 
other States, allow those reckless shooters, just let loose from the 
purlieus of our cities, to overrun their grounds and kill woodcocks 
tAvo or three weeks before the time allowed even by law ? Is there 
no one among the respectable and worthy agriculturists of those 
States possessing sufficient energy or moral courage to make a few 
examples of these lawless fellows, who sally forth to destroy these 
noble birds for mere wanton amusement, as the most of them are 
unsuitable for eating, or any other good purpose, at this early 
season ? 

Legislation most assuredly sanctions the "slaughter of cocks" 
4it :a sufficiently early day, and every shooter should discounte- 



THE WOODCOCK. 179 

nance, both by precept and example, the barbarous habit of goin« 
after them one hour before the appointed time, as every moment 
of existence, both to the old and young bird, is of immediate con- 
sequence. Many old birds are yet sitting on their nests; Avhile 
hundreds of young ones are running about, too feeble to take care 
of themselves, and consequently soon perish if deprived of the 
'protection of their parents. Some of our farmers are fond of 
shooting, and really enjoy the sports of the iBeld in a fair and 
legitimate way ; and we are astonished that these do not interest 
themselves so far in this matter as to have the prohibitory time for 
cock-shooting extended beyond July; for under the present regu- 
lations they can never hope to enjoy this sport, as they are always 
too much occupied during this month in housing their crops to 
think of devoting any portion of their time to cocking, and the 
'birds are pretty much all killed before their leisure hours come 
round. 

We do not wish to stir up any unfriendly strife between the 
farmers and citizens ; there is already too much jealousy existing 
on kindred subjects between them; but, at the same time, we do 
not hesitate to declare that we have no objection to see the 
former assert their just rights, and maintain them in all matters 
of this kind, provided they are influenced by a proper spirit. 
There are, however, many headstrong and selfish farmers in our 
tural districts, who put us very much in mind of the far-famed 
fable of the Dog in the Manger, as they neither have a desire or 
fancy to kill the game themselves nor will they permit any one 
else to do it. No one, we conceive, has a better title to game 
generally than the farmer, as it is on his ground that the birds are 
bred and reared, and it is from the rich gleanings of his stubble- 
fields that they thrive and grow fat. 

"We would, therefore, respectfully urge the farmer-sportsman to 
lave the enactment regarding cock-shooting changed; for, as it 
low reads, it is framed only for the benefit of the city shooters. 
A.nd, when changed, we would also impress upon him the necessity 
)f seeing it duly enforced. 



ISO 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



INGENUITY OF THE HEN IN CONCEALING HER YOUNG. 

The hen woodcock, like the partridge, exhibits great ingenuity 
in her efforts to conceal her young and to draw off the sportsman 
or his dog from the spot occupied by the nest, or, perhaps, little 
brood. She flutters along the ground, dragging her body heavily 
after her, as if wounded and incapable of flight, until the dog 
is nearly on her, when she makes off again to a short distance 
and repeats the same manoeuvres as before. When she has buc- 
ceeded in enticing her pursuers a considerable distance from the 
starting-point, she suddenly takes wing, greatly to the surprise of 
all, and flies off in beautiful style, and in a very short time returns 
by a circuitous route to the spot where she abandoned her off- 
spring. 




THE WOODCOCK. 181 



WHERE TO FIND COCKS. 

" Startled by the report, a woodcock springs 
From the low marsh, flitting with nimble wings : 
In vain he flies ; he feels the fatal lead. 
Curves flapping down, and falls with pinions spread." 

These birds, as before observed, delight in a wet, loamy soil, 
and are seldom or never found in the upland districts, but most 
frequently locate themselves along the marshy willow and alder- 
borders and extensive flats of our rivers. They also secrete them- 
selves in the dense thickets of underbrush along the margins of 
smaller streams, or hide themselves in the rank grass and luxu- 
riant fern of our wet meadow-lands. In fact, wherever there is 
good boring-ground and a certain degree of seclusion, there will 
be found woodcocks in the month of July, many or few, according 
to the nature of the soil and the favorable or unfavorable state of 
the breeding season. 

When there has been a long continuance of dry weather, it is 
quite useless to examine light and open coverts or sparse woods 
in quest of cocks, as at such times they will be found either on 
the open wet bottoms, if such spots can then be met with, or more 
likely in the deep, impermeable thickets and entangled brakes, 
where the ground seldom or never entirely loses its moisture. On 
the other hand, when the weather has been extremely wet for 
some days, woodcocks will betake themselves to the hill-sides or 
elevated grounds, as they are not by any means partial to too 
much water, although a certain degree of moisture is absolutely 
necessary for their very existence. When the weather, begins to 
get cool, they may also be found in the open woody glens or clear- 
ings, enjoying, as it Avere, the mild warmth of the autumn sun, as 
the feeble rays from time to time pierce the sparse foliage of the 
overhanging trees, or actively engaged boring in the mossy banks 
of the warm rills which so often spring up frora such sheltered situa- 
tions. In sections of the country where these birds resort, we 
can scarcely visit a spot of this kind early in October without 



182 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

finding a couple or so of cocks, provided the ground is not too often 
overrun with shooters.* I 

Still later in the season they may be met with in the more deep 
and sheltered wood-swamps, where the insects, larvge, and earth- 
worms, protected in a measure from the biting frosts of more 
exposed situations, are enabled to remain near the surface during 
the severest weather. Here it is that the sportsman will discover 
the perforations or borings of this lonely bird. 

The warm and almost impenetrable cedar-swamps are also 
favorite resorts for such woodcocks as remain in the North durini; 
the cold weather, as the springs in such situations seldom freeze, 
and there is always to be found a scanty supply of suitable food 
even in the depths of Avinter. These birds, however, like the 
snipe, are very uncertain in their movements, being governed a 
good deal by the state of the weather and the consequent condition 
of the soil in their natural haunts for boring. 

Woodcocks are very abundant in Jersey and Delaware, particu- 
larly after a dry spell of weather, as they congregate there from 
the interior of the country and spread themselves over the wide 
extent of meadow-lands and marshy cripples so congenial to their 
habits, and which are so general in the lower portions of these 
States. Cock-shooting in these districts is as laborious as snipe- 
shooting, if not more so, especially if pursued — as is, we may say, 
universally the custom — during the oppressive hot weather of 
July and August. In wandering over these extensive marshes, 
or, as they are vulgarly called, mashes, it is necessary for the 



* Our friend, M. T. W. Chandler, Esq., mentioned to us a few days since, in course 
of conversation, that he had noticed that cocks are seldom or never found in the 
swamps of an iron-district. He also stated that he considered their absence from 
such places owing to the general acidity of the soil, which always, in these iron 
regions, contains a large proportion of oxygen ; a fact, by-the-by, well known to 
all intelligent farmers, who always spread quantities of lime on such places, to 
sweeten the soil, as they say, and make it in a condition to produce. We know 
from our own observation that but few or no worms can be found in these sour 
marshes, and the vegetable products themselves are coarse and ill-flavored. 

Mr. Chandler also states that cocks are rare in the coal-regions, owing, no doubt; 
to the noxious gases that oftentimes are generated in such soils. 



THE WOODCOCK. 183 

sportsman to exercise considerable dexterity in stepping from 
tussock to tussock ; otherwise he will often be doomed to a sud- 
den plunge into the filthy oozes that surround him on every 
side. The excessive heat of the weather is another strong objec- 
tion to the shooting of Avoodcocks in the month of July, as the 
temperature is often so oppressive that the birds will spoil in the 
course of a few hours after being shot, and, in some instances, 
even before leaving the field for the day. As for hoping to keep 
the birds over a day or two, to carry home, such a thing is quite 
impossible, and the sportsman, consequently, is forced to throw 
them away sometimes when only a few hours old, if he cannot 
procure ice to pack them in, which article, by-the-by, is not always 
to be had in the country. 

We have noticed, with sentiments of sorrow, a very prevalent 
but at the same time very unfortunate ambition on the part of 
many of our sporting friends, — to boast of qua7itity rather than 
quality of game killed. 

This braggart feeling should be at all times discouraged and 
reprobated among gentlemen, as quantity is not by any means a 
safe test for a superior' shot, neither is it the just criterion of an 
accomplished sportsman. But, on the other hand, quantity not 
unfrequently goes to prove that he who claims this distinction has 
been more eager, more greedy, more selfish, than his companion, and 
perhaps less courteous and gentlemanly in the field than he should 
have been. This foolish ambition as regards quantity is often dis- 
played in its most deplorable form in the wanton and reckless de- 
struction of young woodcocks, which, as before observed, are shot 
by hundreds when too feeble to save themselves by flight, when too 
young to afford suitable food for the table, and under circumstances, 
oftentimes, when these desolators of our fields and forests know 
full well that they can make no use of them. How mortifying, 
how degrading, in the eyes of humanity, that such a cruel, reck- 
less, and thoughtless propensity for the taking of life should exist 
in our very midst, — should be encouraged by the example of some 
of those with whom we daily associate, — and even be discovered 



184 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

lurking in the breasts of men whom, in our ordinary intercourse 
with the world, we would fain pronounce amiable, humane, and con- 
siderate ! We agree with Mr. Skinner when he remarks that " a 
great fault in sportsmen is the ambition of killing for quantity, 
which occasions them to protract their hunt until many of the 
birds are spoiled by the heat and delay. The sportsman should 
have a spice of chivalry in his composition; he should not be 
merely a wanton and reckless destroyer. He should always spare 
the hovering bird, and confine his efforts to others, to the number 
he can carry in order to his home, for his friends or himself. I have 
known this pernicious system of shooting for quantity pursued on 
the grouse, and, to gratify the false pride of killing more than any 
other party, the time protracted until all the birds killed on the 
first day were spoiled and had to be thrown away. You should 
raise your voice against this growing and vicious ambition, and 
establish it as a rule among sportsmen, that credit should be given 
only for such game as each returned with in good order. 

" Our Indians look upon this habit of the whites with the utmost 
horror. 'He kills and wastes,' say they, 'without object; and riots 
over life as if it were a thing of no value. The game vanishes 
from his desolating path, and the ground is covered by his destroy- 
ing hand with that which he does not mean to use. The boun- 
teous gifts of the Great Spirit are the mere objects of his wanton 
destruction.' We should redeem ourselves from this just reproach, 
and infuse some prudential consideration and moral feeling in our 
hours of sport."* 



* We are glad to observe that the supervisors of our public squares are disposed 
to encourage the presence of squirrels and birds within these enclosures, by afford- 
ing them the necessary protection from the many thoughtless and inconsiderate 
youth who frequent these places of resort. They have also very latterly permitted 
the introduction of some beautiful peacocks, that seem already contented and quite 
at home in their new quarters. 

The habitual presence of the numberless birds that now build their nests, rear 
their young, and enliven our parks with their melodious strains, — the presence of 
the ever-welcome, lively, and frolicksome squirrels which will soon abound in these 
safe retreats, — the presence of the elegant, graceful, and gorgeous peacock, as he 
struts majestically about over the greensward, will have perhaps a far more ex- 



THE WOODCOCK. 



185 



Few, we tliink, can expect to derive much real pleasure or bene- 
fit from the exposure consequent upon a cock-shooting expedition, 
exposed as they are, for hours together, not only to the burning 
rays of a July sun, but also to the inhalation of the poisonous 
gases that are ahvays engendered in these miasmatic situations 
during the summer months. These two circumstances alone, 
independent of any other reasons, ought to be sufiicient to pre- 
vent any sensible sportsman from entering into the amusement at 
this season of the year. However, the temptation to go after 
woodcock at this time, we must acknowledge, is often very strong ; 
and we are not surprised that but few can resist it, particularly 
when the law encourages it, and almost every one hears his sport- 
ing friends around him boasting of their great success and wonder- 
ful deeds the day previous. 




DISAPPEARANCE OF WOODCOCKS. 



During the period of moulting — the latter part of August and 
the month of September — woodcocks disappear, or are said to dis- 
appear, for a short time, from their usual haunts, and retire either 



tended, a far more beneficial influence over the community than the city fathers at 
first supposed or intended. 

May we not confidently hope that their presence in these places will engender 
in the bosoms of our youth a better appreciation and a more becoming respect for 
these lowly but still very interesting objects of creation ? will foster and cultivate 
the kindlier feelings of the heart ? will give rise to and encourage a love for the 
beautiful and a taste for the study of natural history, and perhaps do more than 
any other plan could towards crushing, as it were, in the very germ, that disposi- 
tion to kill and destroy which unfortunately is so characteristic of American youth ? 



186 LEAVIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

far north, entirely out of the reach of our sportsmen, or con- 
gregate, as has been asserted b'j many, on the wild and rugged 
hills of the mountain-ranges, and there live a life of deep seclu- 
sion and indolence during this annual sickness. We have heard, 
and even read, much upon this disputed point, as to the "where- 
abouts of these birds at this time, and have come to the conclusion 
that they do not all follow the same biddings of nature, but that 
some remain closely concealed in their old grounds, others, per- 
haps, go far north, and many betake themselves to the high 
grounds of the interior. By the expression of this opinion we are 
sure not to go far astray from the truth, and at the same time we 
do not compromise ourselves, or offend the peculiar doctrines of 
any sportsman upon this subject, as we freely confess our belief, 
or rather partial belief, in nearly all the theories yet advanced. 

In the getting up of this work for the benefit of sportsmen, we 
wish them all to look upon us more in the light of a compiler than 
of an author, as our great aim has been to collect from all and 
every source the greatest amount of information to elucidate the 
various subjects under discussion, not relying solely upon our own 
experience and observation, but culling a little here and there from 
every one that chance or design threw in our way. 

It is not an unusual circumstance to find cocks in the wet and 
rich cornfields during the moulting season. Here they frequently 
escape the notice of sijortsmen, who, by-the-by, generally have a 
repugnance to hunt in these places, not only on account of the 
disagreeable walking, but because it is no easy matter to shoot 
birds when the corn is standing two or three feet higher than one's 
head, for the moment the cock is up he is out of sight. We would, 
however, advise all inquiring shooters to hunt out every moist 
cornfield that comes in their way at this season, and they will 
soon be satisfied of the truth of our assertion. In saying this, 
however, we do not Avish to be undei'stood as aiding and abetting 
the hunting of cocks at this time, for we heartily disapprove of it, 
even more than Ave do the shooting of them in July, as they are 
noAV in a measure diseased, and not at all suitable for the table : 



THE WOODCOCK. 187 

but we advise the exploration of the cornfields by the inquiring 
sportsman or naturalist, for the confirmation of our statement 
regarding the habits of these birds. 

However, when we take into consideration the immense slaughter 
of cocks during the month of July, it is not very hard to account 
for their scarcity during the following month, even if it were not 
the season of moulting ; and we see no reason Avhy we should be 
racking our brains to account for their disappearance. 

FLIGHT OF WOODCOCKS, 

The flight of young cocks is sIoay and regvilar, and seldom pro- 
tracted in a cripple to a greater distance than fifty yards. They 
merely skim over the tops of the reeds or bushes, and drop sud- 
denly and heavily to the ground, with a kind of impetus that sends 
them running forward several yards. 

In July, young cocks are very tender and easily killed, one or 
two small pellets being quite sufiicient to bring them down. Later 
in the season, having gained strength and muscle, cocks fly with 
much more vigor. They may then be seen darting off", with a shrill 
piping note, in sharp and rapid zigzags, even over the tops of the 
highest trees ; and it requires the steady hand and piercing eye of 
the long-practised shooter to stop them in their headlong career. 

When found on the open grounds and meadows, it is easy enough 
to shoot woodcocks ; but it is quite another afl'air in the high woods 
and thickets, as they rise, not unfrequently, in an almost spiral, 
perpendicular direction, twisting and turning Avith such rapidity 
that they gain the tops of the trees and dart ofi" before they can be 
fully covered even with the sharpest eye and readiest hand. 

FIRE-HUNTING OF COCKS. 

There is a mode of taking Avoodcocks in Louisiana, which is 
practised, perhaps, in no other section of the country ; it is termed 
"fire-hunting," and was, no doubt, introduced by the French 
population of those parts. A full description of this sport, from 
the graphic pen of T. B. Thorpe, Esq., will be found in Porter's 




188 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

republication of "Hawker." Fire-hunting is almost entirely con- 
fined to a narrow strip of country running from the mouth of the 
Mississippi up the river about three hundred miles. Woodcocks 
resort in great numbers to the interminable swamps of this region, 
and, according to Thorpe, even remain in these solitudes during 
the spring and summer months, to breed and rear their young. 
It is perfectly useless for the sportsman to attempt the pursuit of 
cocks in these fastnesses, overrun as they are with deep and matted 
grass, high cane, and rank vines. Although many cocks remain 
in these marshes during the warm weather, still, the greater num- 
ber of them go off to the North for the purpose of incubation, and, 
at the approach of winter, return with increased forces to pass the 
cold months in these secure and favored spots. It is then that the 
"fire-hunting" takes place, and continues during the months of 
December, January, and February. Though the marshes at this 
time are crowded with these quiet and secluded birds, it is almost 
impossible for the shooter to get a sight of one of them ; and this 
fact, together with their immense numbers, is perhaps a palliation 
for the unsportsmanlike practice of "fire-hunting." 

The sport is carried on in this wise : — The shooter, armed with a 
double-barrelled gun, and decked with a broad-brimmed palmetto 
hat, sallies forth on a foggy night to the "ridge," where the cocks 
are now feeding in wonderful numbers. His companion on these 
expeditions is generally a stout-built negro, bearing before him a 
species of old-fashioned warming-pan, in which is deposited a goodly 
supply of pine-knots. Having arrived on the ground, the cocks 
are soon heard whizzing about on every side; the pine-knots are 
quickly kindled into a flame, and carried over the head of the negro. 
The shooter keeps as much as possible in the shade, with his broad- 
brimmed palmetto protecting his eyes from the glare, and follows 
close after the torch-bearer, who walks slowly ahead. The cocks 
are soon seen sitting about on the ground, staring wildly around 
in mute astonishment, not knowing what to do, and are easily 
knocked over with a slight pop of the gun, or more scientifically 
brought to the ground as they go booming off to the inarshes. 



THE AV D C C K. 189 

The lurid glare of the torch only extends to a distance of t^Yenty 
jards or so around the negro ; the sportsman must, therefore, be 
on the qui vive to knock the birds over as soon as they rise, other- 
wise they will immediately be shrouded in the impenetrable dark- 
ness of night. 

These excursions are carried on with great spirit, sometimes con- 
tinue the whole night through, and the slaughter of cocks is often 
very great; with an experienced "fire-hunter" it is no unusual 
occurrence to bag in this way fifty couple before morning. This 
plan of taking woodcocks is very similar to that pursued ages ago 
by the fowlers of England, and is termed " bird-batting." Instead 
of the gun, they made use of nets to throw over the birds, and 
bludgeons to knock them down whenever a favourable opportunity 
presented itself. It was also deemed very necessary in these 
^^bird-battings" for the torch-bearer to ring a loud bell without 
intermission, as its sound at the dead hour of the night was thought 
to bewilder or stupefy the birds to such an extent that they became 
transfixed to the ground, and therefore ofiered an easy mark for 
the fowler. If the ringing of the bell was for a moment discon- 
tinued, the birds were very apt to arouse themselves from their 
lethargy, fly off, and consequently frustrate the fowler's designs. 





NETS AND SNARES. 

Formerly, when cocks were much more plentiful in England than 
they are at present, multitudes were taken in glade and spring-nets, 
which were hung in the moist places where their "mai'king and 
meutings were observable." These birds are very loath, while 
feeding, to pass over any obstruction that may lie in their way, 
but would rather pursue a confined and tortuous path than turn 



190 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

from their course for the purpose of scrambling over the slightest 
barrier that may obstruct their progress. 

This peculiarity of woodcocks has been taken advantage of by 
the fowlers and poachers of England, who are said to place their 
nets between the tufts of heath, with avenues of small stones 
formed on each side, leading up to them, and by this contrivance 
are successful in taking great numbers. They are also captured 
by these gentry by means of horsehair nooses, set about in their 
feeding-grounds, similar to those referred to when speaking of the 
partridge. 

Woodcocks are quite abundant in Ireland, and numbers of the 
English nobles resort there annually to shoot them. It is usual to 
hunt them in this country with the assistance of men and boys, 
termed "springers," who penetrate into the thickets and woody 
glens, hallooing and beating the bushes on every side, so as to 
flush the astonished cocks from their close retreats. The sports- 
men, while this is going on, move about in the clearings, and watch 
every opportunity to knock the poor birds over as they endeavor 
to escape from one cover to another. 

This method of killing cocks, no doubt, is quite exciting, but 
cannot compare with the regular way of hunting them with dogs, 
and would not be resorted to by English sportsmen except ex 
necessitate rei. 

DOGS FOR COCK-SHOOTING. 

Cocks lie well to dogs, and, if their habits of life did not force 
them to select such inaccessible places to feed, they would afford 
as much sport as partridges. If cocks were left undisturbed during 
the summer months, and not hunted till October, we should have 
plenty of them at this agreeable season, and certainly in much 
better condition. The English derive much more pleasure from 
cock-shooting than we do in this country, as the whole charm of 
this pastime is destroyed with us by the barbarous custom of shoot- 
ing the old ones in the months of June and July, when sitting on 
their nests, and frightening the young ones to death by the roar 



THE WOODCOCK. 191 

of guns, placed in the hands of every awkward booby that can 
raise sufficient means to purchase a few pounds of shot. 

Cock-shooting in Enghand, some of our readers will be surprised 
to learn, is most generally pursued with the aid of cocker spaniels. 
We are content to hunt them with our setters and pointers, many 
of which are celebrated for their skill and prowess in finding this 
game. It is particularly necessary that dogs used for cock-shoot- 
ing should be very stanch, and not over eager, otherwise they will 
boon be lost to view in the coverts and brakes which these birds most 
generally frequent, and flush bird after bird without ever being 
seen or corrected for it. 

As for attempting to shoot woodcocks to half-broken spaniels, we 
should consider such an undertaking too laborious and tormenting 
to venture upon, although, with good cockers, we can easily imagine 
that the sport must be much more spirited and enlivening than 
when pursued with setters and pointers. Cockers, from their size, 
are much better adapted by nature to the pursuit of this game than 
either the setter or the pointer, which latter cannot insinuate them- 
selves into the recesses of our briery coverts, no matter how well- 
disposed for the sport they may be, but are forced to back out of 
such impassable places, where the courageous little cocker would 
glide through without suffering the least inconvenience from the 
thorns and briers. 

It is not unusual, in England, to attach small, plaintive bells to 
the collars of dogs hunting woodcocks, so that their exact position 
may be known. This practice is a very good one, and, when the 
covert is very thick, will save the sportsman much hallooing and 
whistling. When used for pointers and setters, the silence of the 
bell will announce the point of the dog. The tinkling of the bells, 
if light and melodious, will not disturb the birds, but rather en- 
liven the gloom and dulness of the woody glens, and add new spirit 
and life to the sport. 

The bells should be of different tones, so as tc distinguish the 
dogs from each other. We are satisfied that the use of bells could 
be made very advantageous in partridge-shooting, in some sections 



192 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

of our country, more particularly early in the season, when the 
coverts are so very thick. We would recommend to those having 
a fancy to try them, to put a small ring to the dog's collar, to 
which they might attach the bell by means of a spring-hook, simi- 
lar to those now so generally used for fastening the guard-chain to 
the vest button-hole. Arranged in this way, the bell can be re- 
moved or put on at a moment's notice, according to circumstances. 

We are certainly an admirer of the little cocker spaniel, and 
would advise gentlemen, more particularly those residing in the 
country, who pursue shooting as a pastime, and not for the mere 
wanton gratification of bagging large quantities of game, to try 
their hands with these active little creatures, as we are sure they 
will be delighted with their boisterous and exciting style of hunt- 
ing, giving subdued tongue when on the scent of game, and then 
bursting forth with joyous acclamations when the bird is flushed 
and on the wing.* 

If the reader should ever be so fortunate as to possess a cocker 
spaniel to whom he can, in good faith, address the following four 
lines of an epitaph, he may consider himself thrice fortunate 
indeed : — 

"Alike the -woodcock's dreary haunt, 

Though keen to find amidst the shade, 
Ne'er did thy tongue redoubled chant, 

But mark quick echoed through the glade." 



* For the tuition and management of spaniels, see our edition of Youatt on the 










^-r 



THE WOODCOCK. 193 

MEMORANDA. 

1. The male bird is much smaller than the female; the former 
usually weighs from five to six ounces, the latter from six to eight. 

2. The American woodcock is much smaller than the English. 

3. There is but one variety of woodcock in America. 

4. Woodcocks are migratory, and extend their wanderings from 
the Canadas even as far south as Florida. 

5. Their food consists of worms and larvae, and they are all 
voracious feeders. 

6. Woodcocks breed in the North, and commence laying, if the 
weather is favorable, even as early as February. The period of 
incubation is about three weeks. 

7. Woodcocks moult in August and September, and at this time 
they lie very close. 

8. Woodcocks frequent moist places, and are seldom met with in 
other situations. 





CHAPTER XI. 

wTLSON'S. or ENGLISH SNIPE. SCOLOPAX WILSONII — SCOLOPAX 

GALLINAGO. 

•' To-day we spring the snipe, 
And, with an eye as keen as does the bird 
Himself, by hungers's strongest law compell'd, 
Explore each shelter'd drain or hollow ditch." 



THEIR DISTRIBUTION OVER THE WORLD. 

HERE is no game-bird so widely dis- 
tributed over the whole world as the 
species now under consideration. They 
are found in all countries, from the ex- 
treme points of Siberia even to the utter- 
most limits of the South. The West 
India Islands, as well as Ceylon and 
Japan, are annually visited by this little 
fowl, while the rice-plantations of the Carolinas and the fertile 
meadows of Egypt alike swarm with their multitudes. So nume- 
rous are these birds in the rich country of the Pharaohs, that it is 
194 




Wilson's snipe. 195 

no unusual tiling, aftei' the harvest of rice, to sit quietly in one place 
and shoot a large basketful of them in the course of a few hours. 
Snipes are equally esteemed in all parts of the world where they 
are known, and the richness and delicacy of their flesh may be 
considered as second alone to that of the woodcock; we need not 
add, therefore, that hunting them is a favorite pastime with the 
American sportsman. 

VARIETIES. 

There are several game-varieties of snipes known in the Old 
World, and all equally sought after by sportsmen ; there are also 
many species in our own country, but only one that attracts much 
attention from our shooters. In Russia there is a large snipe which 
occasionally wanders as far as England, and is known there, we 
believe, as the horseman's snipe, from its superior size and fine 
appearance. This bird affords much sport to the Russian noblesse, 
as well as a savory dish for their tables. The double, or solitary 
snipe, (Scolopax major,) although quite rare in England, is very 
common in Sweden; it is nearly twice as large as the common 
snipe, and offers attractive amusement to the inhabitants of that 
country, who pursue field-sports with as great zest as the sports- 
men of our own country. The Scolopax gallinago, or English 
snipe of America, is closely allied to the common snipe of the Old 
World ; it resembles it in plumage, size, and habits ; a little differ- 
ence, perhaps, may be conceded to the latter variety in point of 
weight. The observant Wilson, in his usual style of close investi- 
gation, discovered a very marked distinction between the English 
and American bird ; and, in consideration of this discovery, Tera- 
minck and other European naturalists have very justly dedicated 
the American snipe to this distinguished ornithologist, by bestow- 
ing upon it the title of Scolopax Wilsonii, or Wilson's snipe, — a 
compliment not less deserved than generously awarded. Wilson 
states that the American snipe has the same soaring, irregular 
flight in the air, during gloomy weather, as the snipe of Europe; 
the same bleating note and occasional rapid descent; springs from 



196 lewis's amekican sportsman. 

the marshes with the like feeble "squeak," and in every respect 
resembles the common snipe of Britain, except in being about one 
inch less, and in having sixteen feathers in the tail instead of four- 
teen. Audubon, however, informs us that the notes of the two 
varieties are quite dissimilar, — in fact, as different from each other 
as those of the American crow and the carrion-crow of Europe, 
and expresses some surprise that Wilson should not have men- 
tioned this difference. 

Frank Forrester, on the other hand, observes that the cry of 
the two varieties is ijerfectly identical, and in this statement he 
further remarks that he is corroborated by the judgment of several 
English sportsmen, with whom he has frequently shot. 

This snipe is known in Britain as the common snipe, suite, or 
heather-bleater, and Avith us is called English snipe, or Wilson's 
snipe. In Louisiana, the Creoles term it cache-cache, the deriva- 
tion of which, we imagine, arose from the well-known retired or 
lurking habits of the bird. 

"The snipe is eleven inches long, seventeen inches in extent; 
the bill over two inches and a half long, fluted lengthwise ; brown 
color ; black towards the tip, crown black, divided by an irregular 
line of pale brown ; another broader one of the same tint passes 
over each eye ; from the bill to the eye there is a narrow dusky 
line ; neck and upper part of the breast pale brown, variegated 
with touches of white and dusky ; chin pale ; back and scapulars 
deep velvety black, the latter elegantly marbled with waving lines 
of ferruginous, and broadly edged exteriorly with white; wings 
plain dusky, all the feathers, as well as those of the coverts, 
tipped with white ; shoulder of the wing deep dusky-broAvn, exterior 
quill edged with white ; tail-coverts long, reaching within three- 
quarters of an inch of the tip, and of a pale rust-color, spotted 
with black ; tail rounded, deep black, ending in a bright ferru- 
ginous bar, crossed with a narrow waving line of black, and tipped 
with whitish ; belly pure white ; sides barred with dusky lines ; 
legs and feet a very pale ashy-green ; sometimes the whole thighs 
and sides of the vent are barred with dusky and white. The 



Wilson's snipe. 197 

female differs in being more obscure in her colors; the white on 
the back being less pm-e, and the black not so deep." 

THEIR LOCATION AND FOOD, 

The snipes of America spend the Avinter in the Southern States, 
resorting to the ricefields of the Carolinas, where they often con- 
gregate in immense numbers, and are said to be quite tame com- 
pared with what they are when they stop with us at the North on 
their way to more elevated districts for the purpose of bi'ceding. 
Audubon states that in the South he has seen them in fifties and 
hundreds in small fields of a feAV acres in extent. They are also 
numerous in the Avet swamps of Florida during the winter season, 
but move off at the first approach of spring, tarrying on their way 
to the North, for a few days, in the various sections of country 
which they pass through. They arrive in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 
and Delaware, in the month of March, according to the state of 
the weather, but are not often abundant till the following; month 
of April. 

Like most other migratory birds, they are quite poor when they 
first arrive among us, but soon become extremely fat from feast- 
ing upon the profusion of animal as well as vegetable food that 
they find scattered over the extensive marshes of these States. 
Their nourishment consists principally of worms and larv?e, which, 
like the woodcock, they extract from the rich, loamy soil by boring 
into it with their long and slender bills. It was formerly very 
generally believed by sportsmen, and others who pretended to a 
knowledge of such matters, that snipes, as well as woodcocks, 
supported themselves by suction. This, of course, is as erroneous 
m the one case as in the other. These birds also partake of the 
tender roots of aquatic plants, and in captivity will feed greedily 
upon corn-meal and worms, and after a few trials will also learn to 
relish bread and milk. 

In the spring season the snipe performs some very singular 
manoeuvres, not very unlike those that are noticed in the wood- 
cock during the period of incubation. If the sportsman should, 



198 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

at early dawn, or even at mid-day, visit the low meadows fre- 
quented by these birds, he will probably see one or both of a pair 
mounting high in the air in a spiral manner, beating their wings 
or sailing around in rapid circles, until they have gained a hundred 
yards or more in height; then, clasping each other, they whirl 
around, flapping their Avings .with great velocity, and then, drop- 
ping in mid-air, give utterance to a low twittering or rather roll- 
ing sound, supposed to be produced by the action of the wings 
upon the air in their rapid descent. We have seen them perform 
this manoeuvre more than once, but at no other period of the year 
than the spring. 

Towards the close of April, if the weather continues warm, 
snipes desert the oozy marshes of Delaware and New Jersey and 
commence moving farther north, where they spread themselves 
throughout the interior of the upland countries for the purpose of 
breeding and rearing their young. They are most generally 
mated when they take leave of these parts. Like other nomadic 
birds, a few of them, owing to one peculiar circumstance or an- 
other, remain with us in the low marshy fallows during the whole 
summer, and even hatch and rear their young broods. It is no 
very uncommon circumstance for our shooters to kill an occasional 
young snipe, as well as old ones, when in pursuit of cocks in the 
months of July and August. 

In the month of May, 1846, while Meandering in company with 
Mr. E. Lewis over his extensive estate in Maryland, we sprang a 
Wilson's snipe from the midst of an oatfield, and, being surprised 
as well as attracted by its singular manoeuvres, we made search for 
its nest, which we soon found, with four eggs in it. The situation 
selected for incubation could not have been better chosen in any 
portion of country, as it was on a rising piece of ground, with a 
southern exposure, and protected in the rear by a large wood, and 
at the foot of this high ground was a considerable extent of low 
marsh-meadow, watered by a never-failing stream, along the 
borders of which the anxious parents at any time could obtain a 
bountiful supply of food. 



Wilson's snipe. 199 

period of incubation. 

In the State of Maine and other portions of the country far 
north, snipes are very numerous during the summer months. 
They are also abundant in the Canadas and Nova Scotia, but are 
not known in NewfouiuUand or Labrador. In these northern 
latitudes, snipes inhabit the marshy portions of the hilly districts, 
as the spots most secure and favorable for incubation. The nest is 
constructed in a most simple manner, — being, in fact, nothing more 
than a hollow made in the moss or grass, lined, perhaps, with a 
few feathers. The brood generally consists of four, and, like the 
young of the woodcock, are capable of motion as soon as sprung 
from the eggs. At this tender age, owing to the softness and 
delicacy of their bills, the young snipes are unable to probe the 
slimy bogs for worms, and therefore are forced to content them- 
selves with collecting the larvae, small insects, and snails, that are 
found on the surface or hid away in the grass or moss. At the 
expiration, however, of a few weeks, they are sufficiently strong, 
and their bills quite hard enough, to penetrate into the moist 
grounds in search of more savory food. 




RETURN TO THE SOUTH. 



Snipes commence returning to the South in the month of Sep- 
tember, accompanied by their young, and of course stop for a 
while in all their old haunts along the route. They remain during 



200 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

several weeks in New Jersey and Delaware, and get very fat while 
feeding on the marshes. Although they most frequently appear 
very suddenly and in large numbers in certain localities, they are 
not gregarious, but perform their migrations singly, or in very 
small wisps, seldom exceeding four or five. 

The flight of the snipe, even when going to a considerable 
distance, is very irregular and devious; they must, however, fly 
with rapidity, as they spread themselves over so Avide an extent of 
country in so short a space of time. 

Snipes are, without doubt, very fickle and uncertain in their 
movements, resorting in great abundance to certain spots on one 
day, and entirely abandoning them on the following, without any 
apparent cause, save perhaps a trifling change in the wind or 
weather. They seem to possess a restless spirit, which impels 
them to seek on one day the high and open grounds, and on the 
next the low and sheltered marshes. The presence of a slight and 
almost imperceptible frost, or the springing up of a northeasterly 
wind during the night, influences the wanderings of these birds at 
early dawn; and their sudden appearance at or absence from cer- 
tain localities is often a source of astonishment to the shooter, who, 
luxuriating on his downy couch, dreams of the morrow's sport, 
little heeding the insidious mutation in the elements that drives 
the sensitive snipe from the ftivored feeding-grounds of the pre- 
vious day, and thus frustrates all his bright anticipations. 

The snipe family in general has very justly been pronounced the 
most meteorological of all birds, for their appreciation of atmo- 
spheric changes is certainly very remarkable, and far beyond 
that of any other of the feathered tribe. Their perception of cold 
or moisture must be exquisitely nice, far beyond any thing which 
we can form an idea of, as their abrupt shiftings from place to place 
are governed, we presume, in many instances, by the variations in 
temperature which are scarcely discernible to the sportsman. For 
we cannot attribute these sudden rovings on their part to any 
other cause than those alterations in the atmosphere, unless we 
believe that they are solely the result of a capricious disposition, 



WILSON'S SNIPE. 201 

wliicli oftentimes induces them to abandon the very best of feed- 
ing-grounds to go in quest of like spots elsewhere; and this to us 
appears a very unnatural as well as untenable supposition. 

Snipes, like woodcocks, are most voracious feeders, and require 
an immensity of food, and consequently are obliged to shift their 
ground much more frequently than many other kinds of birds. 
This circumstance alone is quite sufficient in most cases not abso- 
lutely dependent upon the weather to account for their erratic 
propensities. When feeding in situations where there is a plenti- 
ful supply of food, it is often a very difficult task even for the 
most zealous sportsman to drive them off; and we have more than 
once been quite surprised at their apparent tameness, as indicated 
by their short flights after repeated harassing over some one of 
these favored feeding-grounds. 

In all their peripatetic vagaries snipes are seldom or never found 
in the woods, but delight in the low, wet meadow-lands, or along the 
margins of the secluded streams which are so numerous through- 
out our country ; they may occasionally be found in the cornfields, 
more particularly if the weather is rainy, as well as in the thin 
woods and even briery thickets, but they do not frequent these 
situations except under peculiar conditions of the atmosphere. 

DIFFICULT TO BE SHOT. 

The flight of the snipe, together with its shyness during its 
sojourn at the North, and the disagreeable nature of the ground 
that it alone frequents, renders it the most difficult as well as the 
most fatiguing and vexatious of birds to hunt. When sprung, it 
takes wing very hastily, and flies off in rapid zigzag lines for a 
few paces, in such a confused, irregular, and tortuous course that 
it is almost impossible even for a snap-shot, during this time, to 
cover the bird for an instant while performing these elliptical 
gyrations. 

Snipe-shooting, not only in England but also in our OAvn coun- 
try, may very justly be pronounced the "crux jaculatorum" of 
sportsmen, as there is no game which requires more skill and judg- 



202 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

ment in bringing to bag, or demands a greater share of labor and 
perseverance to follow. A sporting writer — no great admirer of 
this diversion, however, we imagine — remarks that "snipe-shooting 
is a pastime the best calculated (grousing excepted) to try the 
keenness of the sportsman, to ascertain his bottom, and if he can 
stand labor, water, mire, swamps, and bogs. He should be pos- 
sessed of a strong constitution, not liable to catch cold, and have 
all the fortitude as well as exertion of a water-spaniel ; he should 
be habitually inured to wet, dirt, and difficulties, and not be de- 
terred by cold or severe weather." 

This statement, although a little overdrawn, is not far wide of 
the real truth, as every snipe-shooter knows full well; and, when 
entering on the sport, each one should be willing to repeat within 
himself, Audax omnia perpeti. Notwithstanding the numerous ills 
attendant on this recreation, it has many ardent admirers, who, in 
spite of wind and weather, cold and rain, mud and mire, are at each 
succeeding spring and autumn found ready at their posts, all 
eagerness to commence the fray ; and, at the close of every season, 
each one has a long list of adventures to relate, not, perhaps, 

"Of moving accidents by flood and field, 
Of hairbreadth 'scapes i' the imminent deadly breach," 

but of many mishaps and hardships encountered during the 
campaign on the filthy marshes, the most of which, though griev- 
ous at the time, in reality added zest to the diversion, and will ever 
remain imprinted on the memory of the true sportsman as agreeable 
souvenirs by which to recall the scenes of much past enjoyment. 




Wilson's snipe. 203 

different plans for shooting snipes. 

" Next for the snipe you must prepare • 
He darts like lightning through the air, 
With devious wing ; a moment wait, 
You'll see the rover travel straight." 

There are many ways in vogue for overcoming the exaggerated 
difficulties attending the shooting of snipes ; in fact, every sports- 
man has some particular rule of his own to guide him, and recom- 
mends it in the strongest terms to every tyro panting to reach that 
desirable goal, "a good snipe shot." However, laying all means 
and modes aside, every one is well satisfied if he reaches home at 
the close of a long day's tramp with a few couples of these Avary 
birds. When, however, snipes are very abundant on our marshes 
and the weather favorable for shooting, it is no unusual thing for 
an experienced shot to retire from the field with fifteen or even 
twenty couples of them. 

All the various systems for bagging snipes may be reduced to 
the two following plans: — "snap-shooting" and "deliberate shoot- 
ing;" both diametrically opposed to each other in practice and 
theory, but the same in their results, as either will be found to 
answer equally well in the present case. The snap-shot kills the 
bird as soon as sprung, and before he enters upon the zigzag 
course previously described ; the deliberate shot poises his weapon, 
and coolly waits till these perplexing meanderings are at an end, 
and then pulls the trigger upon his victim with a certainty of 
fetching him to the ground. The irregular flight of the snipe is 
discontinued if the bird be allowed to pursue its course for a short 
distance, and its motion becomes uniform and steady long before 
it is out of reach of the gun, as it is very easily killed, requiring 

i but a shot or two to bring it down. 

The following anecdote, just met with in the columns of the racy 

^^ Spirit," is rather amusing: — 

"It is known to all snipe-shooters that when the bird rises he 

I makes a kind of screaming noise, something resembling the sound 
of the Avord escape. A noted shot of our acquaintance invariably 



204 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

exclaims, before pulling the trigger, 'I'll be cl — d if you do!* 
giving as a reason that it affords him time to take his aim coolly 
and collectedly. The plan appears to succeed with him, for a 
snipe rarely escapes from his merciless barrel." 

The curious twisting flight of the snipe, Avhen suddenly come 
upon, is not altogether natural to the bird, but is ratlier the result 
of circumstances, and has very justly been attributed to fright and 
the great anxiety of the bird to make off; and perhaps their indis- 
tinct vision in the glare of the day also renders their course, as it 
were, undetermined and contorted. 

" Whene'er you beat for snipes, implore 
Old jEoIus o'er marsh and moor 
Boldly to breatlie ; yet always mind 
You turn your back upon the ■wind." 

Snipes almost invariably fly against the Avind: it will therefore 
be important for the shooter to have the wind at his back ; for by 
this arrangement the bird presents a much better mark when 
coming towards him, and he is also in the proper position to take 
advantage of all the cross shots. These birds lie better in windy 
weather than at any other time; but are more difficult to shoot, 
perhaps, when on the wing, as they fly much farther and swifter 
than if the day be warm and mild, when their flight is short and 
easy. 

This latter assertion seems rather strange, too, — that they should 
fly "farther and swifter on a windy day than on a mild one ;" for, 
considering that they always proceed directly against the wind, it 
would be very natural for us to infer that, in consequence of this 
singular habit, their flight ought to be proper tionably shorter, 
slower, and more labored, owing to the poAverful resistance oifered 
by a stiff breeze; such, however, is not the case, as every snipe- 
shooter knows. 

If, however, snipes have been much hunted after, and are wild, 
they make long flights even in the calmest and clearest weather ; 
and are, as said before, very difficult to be got at, in consequence 
of this very "calm and clearness of the atmosphere," as they pos- 



Wilson's snipe. 205 

sess very acute organs of hearing, and take wing at the slightest 
noise which is "wafted gently o'er the moor," from all quarters 
and from very great distances ; and Avhen one rises, if in wisps of 
two, three, or more, the alarm most usually becomes general, and 
the example is followed by all the others in quick succession. 

Notwithstanding these birds are, perhaps, more difficult to be 
killed on a windy day than a mild one, there are but few snipe- 
shooters that would not prefer a moderately blustering day to a 
calm one, as the points in favor of the former certainly overbalance 
all that can be said of the latter condition of the elements, and 
that very considerably. In this opinion we presume that we are 
sustained by nearly all our sporting friends ; however, there are 
some of our acquaintances — one at least, and, what is more sur- 
prising, a very acute observer, too, of all things in general, and 
more particularly of every thing appertaining to the sports of the 
field — who will, at times, contend for the opposite, and strive most 
pertinaciously to support this erroneous opinion, in spite of all the 
powerful arguments brought to bear against it by men not his 
inferiors in any point of view as sportsmen. 

The only argument worth alluding to — and which, in fact, is not 
an argument, but merely a position or assertion that these advo- 
cates of calm weather adduce in support of their opinion — is the 
fact "of the shooter so frequently overwalking the birds on a 
windy day, and seeing them get up far behind him after he has 
passed over the places where he expected to find them." This 
circumstance, however, is not owing to the state of the atmosphere, 
but is rather the consequence of his own ignorance and bad manage- 
ment in not quartering the ground properly, which is of the utmost 
importance in snipe-shooting, when pursued without the assistance 
of a dog. When we say that the sportsman must hunt down wind, 
we do not mean that he should walk directly with the wind on his 
back, but rather that he should proceed in an oblique course, so as 
to quarter the ground in such a manner as to travel within hearing- 
distance of every snipe which may be feeding around. By follow- 
ing this plan, the birds rise on a windy day within ten, fifteen, or 



206 lewis's AMERICAN SPOETSMAN. 

twenty feet, as the case may be, circle about for an instant, and 
then make invariably towards you or by you, and thus present the 
very best shot that could be desired. 

When raining, snipes are very uneasy, wild, and difficult of 
approach. 

Snipes always lie better in the autumn than they do in the 
spring, as they are far more restless, and even shy, at this latter! 
season than they are when they return from the North, accom- 
panied by the young birds, which necessarily are far less cautious 
and timid than the old ones, and require more quiet to recruit 
themselves after long flights. 

DOGS FOR SNIPE-SHOOTING. 

There are few dogs which we have ever had the good fortune to 
meet with that can be employed with much success in snipe-shoot- 
ing ; and, when the birds are abundant, most of our shooters prefer 
going to the field alone. However, when there is sufficient cover 
on the marshes, and the dog is accustomed to his game, snipes will 
frequently lie well, and suffer a cunning animal to approach within 
a few feet of them. 

The dog, however, must be very careful, and not too fast ; other- 
wise he will overrun his game, and do much more harm than good. 
The English, or rather Wilson's snipe, as every one should call it, 
gives forth a strong game effluvium ; and it is no uncommon circum- 
stance for a careful dog to draw upon one at a distance of tAventy, 
thirty, or even sixty feet. When the birds are very numerous and 
somewhat confined, owing to the locality and small extent of their 
feeding-grounds, we would advise a persevering shooter to leave 
his four-footed companion at home, provided he is willing to travel 
back-\vard and forward over the cover and get all the birds up him- 
self; for by so doing he will have a fairer chance to bag them than 
if he had the best dog in the world ; such, at all events, has been 
our experience. 

A snipe dog should be stanch, and had better be too old than 
too young, as hunting young dogs on these birds is very likely to 



W 



Wilson's snipe. 207 

prove injurious to them, having a tendency to make them slow, 
and perhaps hizj, as they find the birds so easy and the points 
succeed each other so fast that they are unAvilling thereafter to 
put themselves to any great deal of trouble to find other game, 
which will generally prove much more difficult to be got at. If 
you must, however, take a canine friend along with you, — and there 
are, we know, some shooters who cannot stir on an occasion of any 
kind without two or more of these favorites, — please recollect that 
one, at all events, is quite sufficient. We have seldom found dogs 
of much account in snipe-shooting — perhaps because we never had 
a particularly good one for this sport — except a first-chop retriever ; 
and he can make himself very useful, provided he be intelligent 
and well trained to cross the ditches and bring his bird without 
coaxing or scolding. 

As snipes invariably fly against the wind, it is a good plan to go 
around the dog when on a point, and, by thus facing him, we may 
get a much better shot when the bird rises. It is hardly necessary 
for us to add that you should look out for your dog, otherwise you 
may shoot him ; such accidents have occurred, and may happen again. 

To prove more forcibly this assertion in reference to the danger 
apprehended from shooting our dogs in the field, it may not be 
amiss to mention that we have just this moment received the sad in- 
telligence of the accidental death of a favorite pointer dog which we 
presented as a mark of -regard to a sporting friend, whom we know 
to be scrupulously particular in the handling of his gun, but never- 
theless not sufficiently cautious in this one instance to bring upon 
himself the reproach of having, I may say, carelessly taken the life 
of a good and faithful animal. In his letter to us, commenting 
upon the painful mishap, this gentleman very feelingly remarks : — 
"Birds were very plenty, but after the sad accident I felt no dis- 
position to shoot, and consequently killed but two, missed one, and 
retired quite dispirited from the field, as well as mortified and dis- 
tressed at this my first and only misadventure with a gun." 

If, therefore, this careful and very watchful sportsman could 
accidentally shoot this dog, — for it was an accident, and we may 



'J08 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



say, without any intention of being censorious, a heedless accident ; 
at all events an accident that should not have occurred, — how much 
more does it behoove all young sportsmen to look to their dogs 
when in the field, and never endanger their lives by any species 
of negligence whatever; in fact, should never hold their weapons 
so that they can come in range with them ! 

ADVANTAGES OF SNIPE-SHOOTING: " DULCIUS EX ASPERIS." 

Notwithstanding the mud and mire, trouble and vexation, we 
consider snipe-shooting a most pleasant diversion, more especiallY 
on account of the great number of shots to be had in the course 
of a day, as well as their rapid succession ; and we are acquainted 
with no kind of sport that so rapidly improves an indifferent shot 
as this does. So much quickness, and at the same time so much 
judgment, are so absolutely necessary to hit upon the exact mo- 
ment for drawing upon the trigger, that the tyro, with a little 
practice, will soon have complete control over all his movements ; 
and it is also necessary for him to be ever on the qui vive, as 
nearly every bird that springs presents a different shot. 

WHITE SNIPE. 

Mr. Copple, an old shooter, showed us, a feAV days since, a very 
beautiful specimen of a pied or white snipe that he had shot the 
day previous in New Jersey. This is the first and only specimen 
we have heard of. It has been mounted, and we believe is now 
in the possession of Mr. Stirley. 




WILSON S SNIPE. 209 

MEMORANDA. 

1. Snipes are widely distributed over the world, and are equally 
• esteemed in all parts for their game qualities. 

2. To Wilson belongs the honor of describing a marked dit.tlnc- 
tion betAveen the American and English variety. 

3. The snipe is a migratory bird, breeding in the elevated 
districts of our Northern States, as well as Canada. 

4. They arrive in Pennsylvania about the middle of March, and 
soon become f;it. 

5. Their food consists of worms, insects, larvae, and the tender 
iroots of aquatic plants. 

6. Snipes move farther north towards the close of April. 

7. The young brood generally consists of four. 

8. Snipes almost invariably fly against the wind; therefore 
hunt them with the wind on your back. 

9. Old and slow dogs are most suitable for this sport when the 
birds ^XQ lolentij ; when scarce, a fast but cautious, as well as ex- 
perienced, dog is most serviceable. Young and heedless animals 
are far better at home under either contingency. 

10. Snipes fly in "wisps," and not in flocks; therefore say a 
"wisp of snipes," and not a flock. 




14 







^>^*3\ 












CHAPTER XII. 

REED-BIRD, OR RICE BUNTING. EMBERIZA ORYZIVORA. 
THEIR HISTORY AND NOMENCLATURE. 

^^"^ HIS delicate little bird is well known 

throughout the whole extent of our 
country, and is also a winter visitant to 
the West India Islands. In no quarter 
of its rambles, however, is its coming 
hailed with more delight than in the 
^'^^ j^ neighborhood of Philadelphia. In the 
Eastern and Northern States it is called 
boboUnJc, from the peculiar note which it 
almost incessantly emits, whether it be 
flying, or perched upon the tops of the bending reeds. In Penn- 
sylvania they are known only as reed-birds ; in Carolina they are 
styled rice buntings ; and in Louisiana, meadow-birds. 

" The rjce-bunting is seven inches and a half long, and eleven 
210 




THE REED-BIRD. 211 

and a half in extent. His spring dross is as follows : — upper part 
of the head, wings, tail, and sides of the neck, and whole lower 
parts, black ; the feathers frequently skirted with broAvnish-ycllow, 
as he passes into the colors of the female ; back of the head a 
cream-colov ; back black, seamed with brownish-yellow ; scapulars 
pure white; rump and tail-coverts the same; lower parts of the 
back bluish-white ; tail formed like those of the woodpecker genus, 
and often used in the same manner, being thrown in to support it 
while ascending the stalks of the reed: this habit of throwing in 
the tail it retains even in the cage ; legs a brownish flesh-color ; 
eye hazel. In the month of June this plumage gradually changes 
to a brownish-yellow; bill reddish color; legs and eyes as in the 
male. The young birds retain the dress of the female until the 
early part of the succeeding spring ; tlie plumage of the female 
undergoes no material change of color." 

THEIR MIGRATIONS. 

The reed-bird breeds and spends the larger portion of the sum • 
mer months in the Northern States, extending its peregrinationa 
in this direction as far as Lake Ontario and the river St. Law- 
rence. Their nests are built upon the ground, usually in a field of 
grass, wheat, or barley, and contain from four to six eggs, of a 
bluish-white color, irregularly spotted. They raise but one brood 
in a season, and, as soon as the young are able to leave the nests, 
they associate with other broods, and thus in a short time form 
large families, which are seen making their way over the country 
from all quarters towards the banks of the streams and large 
rivers, where they feed upon the reeds or plunder the grainfields 
of our farmers. Although so very small and insignificant in 
appearance, they often do serious injury to the crops, more par- 
ticularly to the oatfields of New England, which they visit in 
countless multitudes. Towards the middle of August, forsaking 
their feeding-grounds in the North, the familiar "clink" of the 
reedy is heard on every side in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, 
and may be disnnctly recognised on a still evening, as they pass 



212 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

\n multitudes over the city. During the first few days of their 
appearance in these parts, they seem to confine themselves to the 
cornfields and upland meadows, waiting as it were the further 
ripening of the reeds ; after this, they descend to the banks of the 
Delaware and Schuylkill, which are now overrun with the rank 
growth of the wild oats, Zazania aquatica, which produces a small 
seed in great profusion. Feasting luxuriantly for several days on 
this nutritious food, they soon become extremely fat, — in fact, 
nothing but compact balls of delicious meat, each one a dainty 
morsel for the eager palates of our epicurean citizens. 




SHOOTING THEM. 

The war of musketry is now heard incessantly from bright 
morning till dark night, all along the banks of our rivers, and the 
markets are soon overstocked with the innocent victims of many a 
rusty old barrel, only brought into requisition once a year, in 
reed-bird season. If the weather should be very warm, as it 
most frequently is at this time of the year, the birds spoil very soon 
after being killed, and consequently remain but a short time in the 
hands of the hucksters and game-dealers, who are very glad to 
dispose of them at from twelve to twenty-five cents per dozen, ac- 
cording to the returns of the previous day's shooting, which, of 
course, depends in a great measure upon the wind and weather. 

Reed-birds are shot on the meadows below our city, or in the 
reeds from a boat. Great numbers are often brought down at a 
single shot, as they generally congregate in enormous flocks 
towards sunset; it is no uncommon thing to kill four or five dozen 
from the well-directed fire of a double-barrelled gun. It would 
appear incredible to state all the numbers that have been reported 
as killed at one discharge of an old musket, or other heavy gun ; 



THE REED-BIRD. 213 

we will, therefore, confine ourselves to one single instance, in which 
thirteen dozen were picked up, — the result of a raking fire poured 
into a flock from an old fowling-piece that "scattered most con- 
foundedly." This is not by any means the largest number we 
have heard of being bagged at one coup de fusil; but the account 
is well authenticated and within bounds of credence, and we give 
it to our readers as such, for we have no reason to doubt the vera- 
city of the party who told us. 

NETTING REED-BIRDS. 

During the last year or two, a French gentleman of our city 
has been amusing himself in netting these birds upon the meadows, 
and has been quite successful in the sport, catching immense num- 
bers, oftentimes several hundreds at a single draw of the net. The 
process of taking reed-birds in this way is very simple ; but, as we 
are opposed to all kinds of poaching and unsportsmanlike modes 
of taking any kind of winged game, Ave will not dwell longer on 
the subject. 

COMPARED WITH THE ORTOLAN OF EUROPE. / 

The flavor of the reed-bird is extremely juicy and rich, and 
assimilates as near as possible to that of the ortolan of Europe, 
which interesting fact we very unwittingly tested at a celebrated 
cafe, in company Avith some others of our green countrymen who 
were in Paris at the same time, and, greatly to our surprise as 
well as indignation, Avere forced to pay for the information at the 
rate of a dollar per head for these delicate little morceaux. At 
this rather rechercM but expensive feast — for Ave devoured the 
poor ortolans in nearly the same numbers as Ave Avere Avont to do 
the reed-birds at the height of the season in our OAvn city — Ave 
think that the flavor of the French bird was indelibly stamped 
upon our palate in about perhaps the same ratio as the impression 
made at the time upon our purse, which, en passant, was not very 
light, Ave can assure the reader, as Ave Avere all Philadelphians, 
and consequently death on reed-birds, and, in course, ortolans 



214 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

also. As far as we can recollect the particulars of this dejeuner 
a la fourchette, — which, by-the-by, afforded us all much merriment 
for a long time afterwards, — the company, pretty generally, when 
partaking of the feast, in the goodness of their hearts, or rather in 
the joy of their stomachs, were quite loud in their praises of the 
far-famed ortolan ; and all pronounced its flavor much superior to 
that of the poor unpretending reedy of America. But, before 
leaving the cafe, we must acknowledge there were some long faces 
and short purses in the "crowd," that seemed rather disposed to 
disparage the well-merited compliments which were previously so 
lavishly bestowed upon the French bird ; and several were even so 
ungrateful, after stowing away a brood or two of them in their 
stomachs, as to draw invidious comparisons between the two rivals 
for gustatory repute. After mature reflection, however, the whole 
party, one and all, declared in favor of the reed-bird of America, at 
twenty sous the dozen, over the French bird at one dollar a piece. 

PROGRESS SOUTH. 

As soon as the frost makes its appearance in Pennsylvania, the 
reed-birds as well as rails take their departure for the South, and 
it is seldoin that we find either of them with us longer than 
October. After they leave our rivers they continue their course 
south, visiting the ricefields of the Carolinas and Georgia, and 
often commit great havoc in those regions. Although thousands 
upon thousands of these birds have been destroyed in their route 
from the North, still, thousands upon thousands of them yet exist, 
and every gun is again brought into requisition in their new quar- 
ters, to thin down their inexhaustible numbers ; but all to no pur- 
pose, as they still continue their flight in immense bodies as the 
winter advances, and ultimately arrive at the termination of their 
long voyage in the West India Islands. In Jamaica they are 
called buttex'-birds ; and there, as in all other parts where they 
make their appearance, they are highly esteemed for the delicacy 
and richness of their flavor. 



THE EEED-BIRD. 215 

CURIOUS FACTS. 

Audubon states that -when these birds migrate south in the 
autumn their flight is diurnal, but "vvhen returning in the spring 
they travel mostly at night. Such, however, has not been the result 
of our observations, as ■we have noticed the flight of reed-birds, 
many times during the autumn, in the still hours of the night ; and 
in the spring we have also seen them travelling during the day. 
Another interesting particular respecting the reed-bird is the sin- 
gular change which takes place in the plumage of the male. This 
change begins in June, and by the close of the following month 
the color has approached so nearly to that of the female that it is 
verj difficult to distinguish one from the other. This circum- 
stance, in connection with the fact that the plumage of all the 
young birds also resembles that of the females, has given rise to 
the vulvar notion that the male birds never return from the North ; 
but what becomes of them every one of course is unable to con- 
jecture. 

AS A CAGE-BIRD. 

The plumage of the reed-bird is variegated and pretty, and he 
makes a very sprightly and contented captive for the bird-fancier: 
soon forgetting his former life of freedom, he resigns himself to 
his lot, and sings merrily and cheerily for several months in the 
year. His notes are agreeable, and capable of much improvement 
by associating him with the canary-bird, with which we have been 
told he will pair. 




W0! 



rr-'v 



216 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



CHANGE OF PLUMAGE. 

We were sliown, a few days since, a reed-bird, the plumage of 
which was a perfect canary-color; and, if we had not recognised 
the bird from its general outline, we should have pronounced it an 
overg7'oivn canary, so complete was the change that had taken 
place in its appearance. 

MEMORANDA. 

1. Reed-birds breed in the North, pass the summer in the 
Middle States, the autumn in the South, and the winter in the 
West Indies. 

2. In the North they are called bobolinks ; in Pennsylvania and 
Delaware, reed-birds ; in the South, rice-buntings or meadow-birds ; 
in Jamaica, butter-birds. 

3. They build their nests on the ground, and raise but one brood 
in a season, consisting of from four to six young. 

4. The plumage of the males during the summer resembles that 
of the females so closely that it is difficult to tell them apart ; the 
young bird at this season also assimilates the female in its plumage. 




"**<, 




CHAPTER XIII. 



THE RAIL, OR SORA. RALLUS CAROLINUS. 



DESCRIPTION AND NOMENCLATURE. 

HIS somewhat mysterious bird, so well 
known throughout certam portions of our 
country under the appellation of rail, 
sora, or coot, resembles very closely both 
the water-crake or spotted rail, and the 
land-rail or corn-crake of England, not 
only in its habits, but also in its general 
appearance. There are few, if any, spe- 
cies of birds in our country that offer more tempting amusement to 
the young sportsman, or a more agreeable delicacy for the table, 
than the timid little fowl which now engages our attention. We will 
detain the reader for a few moments while we transfer to our pages 

an abridged ornithological description of this shy bird, and will 

217 




218 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

then pass on to a consideration of some of its habits, more parti- 
cularly those within the range of our sporting friends, many of 
which instinctive peculiarities have very justly been termed by 
casual observers mysterious ; all of which mysteries, however, we 
hope to make perfectly plain to every one before the close of this 
article. " The rail is nine inches long, and fourteen in extent ; 
bill yellow, blackish towards the point ; stripe down the throat 
black ; sides of the crown, neck, and upper parts generally, olive- 
brown; streaked with black on a brown-olive ground, and edged 
with white ; wing plain olive-brown ; tertials streaked with black 
and long lines of white; tail pointed, dusky olive-brown streaked 
with black ; lower part of the breast marked with semicircular lines 
of white on a light ash-ground; belly white; vent brownish-buflF; 
legs, feet, and naked part of the thighs yellowish-green ; eyes red- 
dish-hazel. The female bird has little or no black on the head; 
the throat is white, and the plumage generally is of a lighter 
color, and more inclined to olive, than in the male." 

HISTORY. 

The first thing to be noticed regarding this bird is the circum- 
stance which renders the term "mysterious" particularly appli- 
cable to the species. The regular migrations of the feathered 
tribes are well known to naturalists, and the favored time and 
peculiar conditions under which these voyages from distant parts 
are consummated by game-birds have been observed by most 
sportsmen ; but in the case of the sora every one is more or less 
at a loss, both as to their coming and departure from among us. 
Whence they spring, or whither they go, both naturalist and sports- 
man have been equally at fault, as each is unwilling to grant that a 
bird whose flight is apparently so sluggish and feeble, scarcely rising 
above the. tops of the reeds, should be capable of a long-continued 
volitation, or be suflBciently strong to encounter the fatigues of a 
journey from the Far North, like other migratory birds. Neverthe- 
less, it is an evident fact that rails must come from a distance ; and 
when they depart from our rivers, they must also travel to still more 



THE RAIL. 219 

remote parts, if perchance they do not (as has been sagely sur- 
mised by some enthusiastic inquirers after truth) bury themselves 
in the mud of our river-banks or become changed into frogs. 
But who was ever so fortunate as to dig up a petrified rail or 
come across an unfinished metamorphosis of this description? 
Wilson, however, informs us that this latter theory, ridiculous 
as it may seem, had its originator and firm supporter, who boldly 
asserted that the transmigration of the sora into the frog was 
the true secret of the sudden disappearance of this bird; and, 
moreover, that Jie, the author of the strange notion, had in his 
possession for several days an animal of an extraordinary kind, 
neither a rail nor a frog, — in fact, something between the two ; but, 
unfortunately for the progress of science, not being accustomed to 
captivity and the over-kindness which was lavished upon it by its 
lucky owner, the animal died before the change was complete, 
and this remarkable lusus naturce was thus lost to the investiga- 
tions of the curious in such matters. 

What rendered this singular hypothesis more striking, and con- 
firmed the originator in his preconceived notions, was the circum- 
stance of the frogs generally ceasing to croak about the time of 
the coming of the rails in our rivers. This opinion, however, has 
gained but little ground, as few persons are to be found so credu- 
lous as to place any faith in a notion so extremely absurd. There 
are several species of rails known in England. They arrive there 
in the spring in the same mysterious manner which they do with us 
in the summer, and depart at the first approach of frost for more 
southern climes, in a like unceremonious style, seldom or never 
being seen on their passage either to or from the countries where 
at certain seasons they abound. So very shy is this bird, that, 
although almost every meadoAV and clover-field in England re- 
sounds during the spring with the eternal crek crek of the land- 
rail, very few are shot, and the bird itself is scarcely known to the 
country-people, notwithstanding they constantly hear its well- 
.known crek crek whenever they go into the fields. For such is 
the secret, skulking, and solitary habits of this little bird, that it 



220 lewis's amekican sportsman. 

very seldom takes wing, even when hotly pressed by a dog ; and all 
our sportsmen know how difficult it is to spring the rail, even with 
the assistance of a boat, and a long pole with which to beat the reeds. 

Notwithstanding the different notions respecting the movements 
of our soras, it is certain that these birds, like many other species, 
perform regular migrations from North to South, and return in the 
same way during the following spring; and it is also probable 
that their flights take place in the night, owing to their instinctive 
desire to court concealment. Wilson tells us that it was formerly 
no very unusual thing to find young rails on the meadows of the 
Delaware and Schuylkill. Mr. Bartram, a gentleman well ac- 
quainted with this bird, states that he has often seen and caught 
young rails on his own meadows in the month of June ; that he has 
also seen their nests, usually in a tussock of grass, containing four 
or five spotted, dirty, whitish-colored eggs, and that the young ran 
as soon as they escaped from the shell, being quite black, and 
glided about through the grass like mice, and during this particular 
period they resembled the " corn-crake of England." This circum- 
stance alone proves that the origin of soras is not involved in so 
much obscurity as many persons are anxious to make it appear, 
and satisfies us that these birds follow the general laws of nature 
during the migratory season, and that some few of them, like other 
birds of similar habits, remain with us in these latitudes during the 
summer, for the purposes of breeding. 

Although our sportsmen are unwilling to acknowledge the power 
of soras to fly any considerable distance, we have several instances 
on record that go to show that this bird is capable of great endu- 
rance and of very extended flight, and that in common with other 
birds it is possessed of foresight and strength sufficient to enable it 
to go in quest of distant climes, congenial to its feelings and modes 
of life. Mr. Skipwith, our consul several years since in Europe, 
when returning home, off the capes of Chesapeake, caught several 
rails that alighted on the ship, and, being well acquainted with the 
bird, declares that they were the same as those usually killed on 
the James River ; and Wilson has also been assured by many gentle- 



THE RAIL. 221 

men and captains that they have often met with these birds between 
the mainhmd and the ishinds.* These facts, certainly, are suffi- 
cient to convince us that rails are capable of very long flights, and 
would also lead us to believe that many of them even pass their 
winters in as remote districts as the West India Islands. 

SINGULAR CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RAIL. 

The mysterious coming and going of the soras is not the only 
singular characteristic attributed to the species, as it has been sur- 
mised years ago, by a gentleman of respectability and worth of 
this city, that rails are subject to bursts of vehement passion, occa- 
sioning fits analogous to epilepsy, and relates several instances in 
which this singular effect Avas produced. We never witnessed any 
thing of this kind ; but some of our sporting friends may have done 
so in their shooting excursions, and we should be glad to hear from 
them on the subject. It has also been observed, by "BreAver," 
that the various species of rails possess a certain power of ven- 
triloquism, which is more particularly developed in the corn-crake 
of England ; and that when crying they often remain stationary, 
and throw their voices in opposite directions, at one time as if 
within a few yards of the spot where the observer is standing, and 
in a second or two appearing in an entirely different position. 

We should, perhaps, never have noticed this remarkable fact in 
the rail species, if our attention had not been called to it by the 
observations of "Brewer." We are induced to place much confi- 
dence in his views upon this subject, from our intimate knowledge 
of the habits of the rails of our own country, which we believe also 
to be somewhat endowed with this singular power; and the mere 
mention of it in this article may possibly throw some additional 
light on the subject. It is not at all impossible that nature may 



* May 10, 1851. — "We were invited by our friend George H. Bryan, Esq., to go 
on board of the packet-ship Michael Angelo, just arrived from Liverpool, to see a 
rail caught at sea some days previous. The captain assured us that the nearest 
land at the time the rail was captured was Cape Sable, distant about three hun- 
dred miles. 



222 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

have bestowed this power upon these bh'ds for some good purpose, 
as well as upon other animals. Captain Lyon, in speaking of the 
Arctic fox, states that "it is a singular fact that their bark is so 
modulated as to give an idea that the animal is at a distance, al- 
though at the very moment he lies at your feet;" and he supposes 
that these foxes are gifted with this species of ventriloquism in 
order to deceive their prey as to the distance they are from them. 




THEIR FOOD, ETC. 

The soras, like the rice-buntings, are excessively fond of the 
seeds of the Zizania aquatica, or Avild reed, that grows in such 
luxurious profusion along the muddy shores of many of our rivers, 
and will be found secreted in the midst of these flourishing plants 
■as soon as they have acquired their full growth. The Zizania 
aquatica grows to a great height and spreads over immense tracts 
of tidewater shores, extending for miles along the rivers, and 
oftentimes rising to a height of ten or twelve feet and the stems 
so strong and closely interwoven with each other that they defy 
every eifort to propel a boat through them. The seeds of this 
plant begin to ripen, in the Eastern and Middle States, early in 
August, and the rails soon find their way to the different rivers 
whose shores produce it in any considerable abundance. When 
they first arrive, they are poor and unpalatable, but soon gain 
flesh, and become extremely fat and delicious to the taste. In truth, 
we are very partial to this bird, and, when in good condition, prefer 
it to most other kinds of game ; at all events, we can eat more, 



THE RAIL. 223 

rails, and partake of them more constantly without feeling sated 
than of any other game-bird. They are particularly tender, rich, 
juicy, and delicate, and do not cloy the stomach by quantity 
or pall the appetite by daily indulgence. At this season the 
reeds along the Delaware and Schuylkill swarm with these timid 
little birds, that pursue their solitary ways in silence and dread, 
seldom giving utterance to a single note, if undisturbed. Should a 
stone, however, be thrown into the reeds, a sharp and rapid crek, 
creJc, creJc will be heard resounding in every quarter ; but still not 
a rail is to be seen, although hundreds are gliding about through 
the reeds in every direction, within a few feet of where we are 
standing. If we should be so fortunate as to spy one skulking in 
the dense field of reeds before us, he will most probably be seen 
jutting up his tail and running with astonishing speed between the 
stalks of those plants, more like a Avater-rat than a feathered 
denizen of the air. The flight of this bird being so regular and 
feeble, it presents an easy mark to the young sportsman, and per- 
haps is the best 'game-bird that we have on which to commence the 
art of shooting on the wing, although it will require considerable 
experience to make the tyro proficient in the science of balancing 
his body in the boat while it is being pushed through the reeds. 

The sora seldom flies more than fifty or a hundred yards at a 
time, and often not so far. They merely rise Avith extended legs, 
and flutter, as it were, lazily over the tops of the reeds, and then 
drop down again. We have, however, observed them, when hard 
pressed by numerous shooters, direct their course across the Dela- 
ware, and seemingly gain strength and energy as they pursued 
their venturesome way. 

When wounded, rails exhibit wonderful cunning, and fre- 
quently display decided ingenuity in their efforts to escape. They 
swim with ease, and dive very expertly, occasionally remaining 
under water for some moments, clinging to the reeds Avith their 
feet; and we haA^e often obserA'ed them secreted and perfectly 
motionless under the sides of the boat, or floating under the broken 
reeds, with the point of their bill protruding above the surface of 



224 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTZZ.IAN. ^^^H 

the water, to enable tliem to breathe, in which position they will 
continue until an opportunity offers for escaping from their 
pursuer. 

In the month of July, the soras are found farther north ; and we 
hear of them being shot upon the marshy shallows in the neighbor- 
hood of Detroit, where another species of reed, to which they are 
also partial, is seen to grow; and no doubt there are many places 
along our northern frontier that are visited by these birds in their 
annual migrations. Rails are very sensitive to cold, and seldom 
remain with us longer than the month of October ; and it is quite 
useless to go in quest of them after a smart frost or two, even if it 
should occur quite early in the season, as they will generally be 
found to have abandoned their haunts as suddenly as they came to 
them. The season of 1846 was a remarkably favorable one for 
the stay of the soras in our rivers ; and we understand that until 
November 25th of that year they lingered in considerable numbers 
among the reeds, luxuriating upon their tender seeds, and awaiting 
the first brumal spell to speed them on their tedious journey to the 
South. 




SHOOTING RAILS. 

The sport attending the destruction of rails is exciting and 
exhilarating in the extreme, but perhaps more fatiguing and less 
beneficial to health than any other kind of shooting. It is carried 
on in this wise : — 

Being furnished with a small, flat-bottomed canoe, and a good, 
broad-shouldered boatman, yclept "pusher," from the peculiar duty 
that he performs in propelling the bateau through the reeds by 
means of a long pole, the sportsman stations himself on the rail- 
ground and anxiously awaits the coming of the tide. The water 



THE RAIL. 22t) 

having risen to a sufficient height to allow the passage of the boat 
through or over the reeds, the shooter places himself in the bow 
of the little craft, surrounded by all the necessary paraphernalia 
for loading with expedition and safety, and, being ever on the qui 
Vive, knocks the poor birds down right and left as they rise a few 
yards before the boat as it gently glides among the reeds. 

It is better to have two double-barrelled guns; for when the 
birds get up lively it will be necessary to load and fire so rapidly 
that the gun will soon become too hot to handle or charge 
without danger, and the chambers and barrels will get so clogged 
with powder and leaded with shot that it will be almost impossible 
to load with the necessary expedition. It will also be proper to 
provide yourself with a good, stout ramrod, which can be handled 
with facility and thrown doAvn anywhere in the boat without fear 
of being broken. To prevent accidents and insure despatch in 
loading — upon which latter circumstance the grand result of the 
day's sport almost entirely depends, even with a moderately good 
shot — it is absolutely necessary to be provided with shot-cartridges, 
which, together with the caps and powder, may be placed in a handy 
box, and set on the bow of the boat, directly in front. The kind 
of box we generally make use of is made of tin, about twelve 
inches in length, six in width, and five in depth ; it is divided into 
two equal compartments, — one for powder, and the other for shot 
or cartridges ; and the latter apartment has a small shelf or divi- 
sion at one end of it, sufficiently large to hold a quantity of caps 
or cut wads. If cartridges are used, there will be no occasion for 
wads; and, as we employ them altogether wdien shooting rails, we 
have 1:0 division in our box for holding wads. The box should 
be made of good, stout tin, well soldered together, with a cover 
or lid sufficiently large to close up either apartment, and so made 
that when thrown from the powder it will fall over and cover up 
the shot or cartridges, and when the shot is exposed to view the 
powder will necessarily be covered up, and thus prevent accidents, 
and the provoking consequences arising from the small seeds, stems, 

and dirt falling into the powder, when the boat is being propelled 

15 



226 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

through the high reeds. It is better not to have a handle to thei 
box, as it would necessarily have to be square, and over six inches | 
high from the top of the box, so as to allow the lid to pass under 
it ; and, being made in this way, would have a clumsy appearance, 
and be of no particular benefit, but rather interfere with the motion 
of the hands when loading with rapidity. If the box is filled with 
the necessary ammunition before leaving the house, it may be very 
conveniently carried to the boat by tying it up in a stout handker- 
chief, or a leather strap may be attached to the box is such a way 
as to serve the purpose of a handle. But we prefer taking all our 
accoutrements to the boat in a small basket, and then transferring 
them to the box, before leaving the shore. The basket also answers I 
a very good purpose for carrying the birds in from the boat on our' 
return, as they dry much better, and the plumage looks far more 
nice than when dangling to a long string, upon which they become 
soiled and ruffled, by dragging on the ground or pitching about in j 
the boat. However, if a stationary handle is convenient on some' 
accounts and inconvenient on others, it is easy enough to have a 
shifting one put on, that may be taken off at pleasure; but we 
prefer the old cotton handkerchief or basket, and so does a valued 
friend of ours, a veteran sportsman, from whom we took the idea. 

Thus equipped, and provided with a good portion of ice, to allay 
the parching thirst that generally attends this sport during the hot 
days of summer, the shooter takes his position in the bow of the 
boat, with gun in hand, left leg forward, and his body firmly 
balanced. Being rightly placed, the sportsman now trusts him- 
self to the skill and management of the "pusher" to carry him 
through the reeds wherever the rails are most likely to be feeding. 

Great dexterity and muscular power are required in a pusher; 
for without the former the shooter may be splashed from head to. 
foot, and perhaps rudely knocked overboard by the awkwar(^ 
handling of the heavy pole by which the boat is made to shoot 
through the reeds ; and, without the latter requisite, the skiff, in-j 
stead of proceeding in a regular, steady course, will start am 
quiver with an uneasy motion, that renders the footing so unstably 



THE' RAIL. 227 

that he may be thrown clown, perhaps overboard, — at all events, be 
often prevented from shooting when a rail presents itself. 

Another important requisite in a "pusher" is that he be a good 
"marker," otherwise one-third of all the birds shot will be lost, as 
the eternal sameness of the green reeds precludes the possibility of 
an inexperienced hand finding them, when, as is often the case, 
there are four or five rails down at one time. Who among our 
Philadelphia shooters has not heard of Old Pike, Fowler, and Bill 
Rump, of rail-shooting notoriety, all of whom have served an 
honorable apprenticeship to the arduous task of "pushing," and 
are not yet to be excelled in these parts ? How eagerly are these 
three veteran "pushers" sought after, and how frequently, almost 
universally, do their boats bring in the largest number of birds, 
without regard to the skill of the sportsman himself! — as an in- 
different shot, with these men, will have double the number of 
chances that a better marksman with another "pusher" will get on 
the same tide, and consequently may miss a third of his birds and 
still be even with the party. The first time we went out rail- 
shooting, we employed "Bill Rump ;" and, to our great satisfaction 
and surprise, on counting our birds, found that we had beaten 
several old stagers at the sport, although — we are loath to con- 
fess it — we missed enough of fair shots to quite discourage, if not 
at times to totally disgust, our zealous "pusher." 

However, speaking of "beating others at this kind of sport" 
reminds us of the great opportunities that those who participate 
in this amusement have of chiselling each other regarding the 
(number of rails actually killed on one tide. To show the fallacy 
of betting on the results of such shooting, without the parties are 
much closer watched than they usually are at the present time, we 
*will merely state that there are some individuals, "begging their 
^pardons," nothing remarkable for their shooting qualities, who 
tnever can be beaten, or never will be beaten, upon a trial-match at 
rail-shooting, no matter how great the number their antagonist kills, 
ifor the simple reason that they are leagued in with their friends 
and "pushers" to provide them with the birds when concealed from 



228 lewis's AMERICAN S PORT SI.: AN. 

observation in the reeds, even if the stern or bow of the boat is 
not stuffed full before leaving the landing; or perchance he may 
find a dozen or two cunningly staked out in the reeds, which will 
so considerably augment his numbers that no shot, no matter how 
good, can easily overcount him. 

We know that such tricks have been practised upon our friends, 
" and we consider it our duty to expose them, and thus put the 
green ones" on their guard, or, at least, on an equal footing with 
these wonderful "rail-shooters," who every season perfoi'm such 
miracles and make loud boasts of their slaughter and carnage. 

As the boat passes through the reeds, the rails usually rise 
singly a iew feet in advance of the bow, and, flying slowly in a 
direct line, present a fair mark for the sportsman. It is seldom 
that more than one bird is killed at a time, although tvfo are occa- 
sionally brought down with one barrel, when they spring fast and 
cross each other in their flight. 

It is the duty of the " pusher" to mark the birds which are killed, 
as also to notice where those that escape drop down ; and when a 
rail springs on either side of the boat, he should call out "Mark !" 
so that the shooter may be on the alert to bang away in every 
direction. The higher the tide the better the sport, as the boat 
will glide more freely over the reeds, and the birds, having less 
shelter, are obliged to spring more frequently when come upon. 
The reeds around the boat should be constantly beaten with the pole, 
as rails are often concealed within a few feet of our track and 
will not stir without being driven to "wing" by this method. 

The tides are regulated very much by the wind ; and the moon, 
also, has no small influence in the production of high tides com- 
monly called "spring-tides," which may occur both at the full and 
change, as at both these periods she acts on the earth in conjunc- 
tion with the sun. 

For rail-shooting in the Delaware or Schuylkill, and, in fact, in 
all the tributaries of the former, a southerly or southeasterly wind 
will produce the best tides ; but we have seen good tides when the 
wind was from quite a contrary direction, and no doubt every rail- 



THE RAIL. 229 

shooter has occasionally been deceived in his calculations on this 
head. We have known excellent tides in our river when the wind 
was blowing fresh from the northeast. 

It is a common observation that soras are fatter durinji the 
increase and full of the moon than at any other time, which has 
been accounted for by the fact that the bird is at this time able to 
feed both by day and night; and, moreover, the high tides that 
prevail frequently at this period enable the rails to get at the seeds 
better, and a much greater deposit of them is also left on the mud 
at low water, by the breaking down and shaking of the reeds 
during the ebb and flow of the water. If the day be somewhat 
hazy, it will ansAver the purpose of the sportsman much better 
than a clear sky, as the reflection of the sun from the water upon 
one's face, in connection with the beaming hot rays upon one's 
head, for several hours together, is not the most pleasant position 
that a shooter can place himself in. 

The sport continues without intermission till the receding tide 
warns the "pusher" that all his efforts will soon prove unavailing 
to propel the boat through the thick reeds that encompass him 
on every side. 

It is useless to attempt to give any instructions as to shooting 
these birds ; as we are convinced that any one who keeps his eyes 
open, and points the gvm towards the rail, will be sure to kill 
them, as they seldom or never deviate from a direct course, but 
pursue a bee-line for a few yards and then pop down again. The 
only thing necessary to make an expert rail-shooter is a little 
quickness in handling the gun, as the bird must be covered as soon 
as on the wing, otherwise he flutters for a moment or so and then 
drops in the reeds, and, as before remarked, when down after 
being flushed, he lies very close, and is difiicult to be got up 
asain. 




280 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



NUMBERS KILLED. 

The number of rails often killed on a single tide by one shooter 
is almost incredible, when we take into consideration the circum- 
stance that the birds are all shot singly ; and, if we had not most 
authentic information regarding these statements, Ave should hesi- 
tate to publish them. But, having obtained the memoranda for 
1846 from a reliable source, we cannot for a moment doubt its 
correctness, and our own observations lead us to believe that the 
accounts are not at all exaggerated. The great abundance and 
luxurious profusion of the reeds along the shores of the Delaware 
beloAV Philadelphia, and the extensive mud-flats which are covered 
for miles with these plants, make our river the favorite resort of 
rails, as well as reed-birds, and the multitude that are slaughtered 
each season are beyond computation. The following extract is 
taken from the paper furnished us and carefully compiled by 
Major Price, of the National Hotel, Chester, and we select from it 
the best shootinsr of the season of 1846 : — 



Sept. 3, J. Irwin killed 82 rails. 

" 4, J. M. Eyre 122 " 

" 4, B.B.Pearson 101 " 

" 4, T.Thurlow 83 " 

" 4, E.Wells 13G " 

" 5, Matzino;er 95 " 

♦' 5, J. M. Odenheimer. 128 " 

" 5, B.Ford 87 " 

" 5, Wells 154 " 

" 5, A.AVorrall 13G " 

" 5, E. Wells 114 " 

" 6, E. E. Eyre 108 " 

" 6, S.Smith 93 " 

" 7, J. R. Eyre 101 " 

" 7, C.Price 82 " 

" 7, Bringhust 91 " 

" 7, H. Taylor 96 " 

" 7, H. Edwards 108 " 



Sept. 7, J. M. Eyre killed... 90 rails. 

" 8, Matzinger 122 

" 8, E. E. Eyre 94 

" 8, Brown 97 

" 8, C. Price 91 

" 8. J. K. Bonsai 107 

" 9, J. Newbold 81 

" 9, J. M. Odenheimer. 132 

" 9, W. Read 107 

" 9, G.Epley 85 

" 10, J. Newbold 83 

" 10, J. Bonsai 141 

" 10, S.Smith 103 

" 10, E. Eyre 115 

" 11, E. Eyre 101 

" 11, 11. Edwards 107 

Oct. 4, S. Smith 104 



But the greatest exploit of all is yet to be chronicled. On the 
8th of September, Mr. J. M. Eyre killed on one tide the sur- 
prising number of one hundred and ninety-five rails, which is 



THE RAIL. 23] 

forty more than ever was bagged by one shooter on our river, if wo 
except, perhaps, the shooting-match that took place many years 
ago between Mr. Hubbell and a friend, at which time, we believe, 
the former gentleman got one hundred and seventy-five rails. The 
birds were very numerous, as we may suppose, on this day, and the 
tide very high, insomuch that the rails were obliged to seek 
shelter on the meadows, — a very uncommon circumstance. Mr. 
Eyre lives in Chester, and is considered one of the very best of 
shots on rail, and is ever on the spot ready to avail himself of all 
the high tides that make up our river during the rail-season.* 
The most indifferent shot may often kill from thirty to forty 
rails on a good tide, and fair shots always calculate on sixty or 
eighty. 

SHOOTING RAILS IN VIRGINIA. 

Although soras are generally killed in the way we have endea- 
vored to describe above, they are taken along the shores of the 
James River, in Virginia, in much greater numbers, by a very 
singular process, with which, however, we are not practically ac- 
quainted, but will lay it before our readers in the words of Wilson. 
The operation of this method is the same as the "fire-hunting of 
woodcock" in Louisiana: — "A kind of iron grate is fixed on the 
top of a short pole, which is placed like a mast in a light canoe, 
and filled Avith fire. The darker the night the more successful is 
the sport. The person who manages the canoe is provided with 
a light paddle ten or twelve feet in length, and, about an hour 
before high-water, proceeds through among the reeds, which lie 
broken and floating on the surface. The whole space for a con- 
siderable way round the canoe is completely enlightened : the birds 
stare with astonishment, and, as they appear, are knocked on the 
head with a paddle and thrown into the canoe. In this manner, 



- During the season of 1849, rails were very abundant, and great numbers were 
killed ; over one thousand were brought into Chester alone during one day of a 
very good tide. 



232 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

from twenty to eighty dozen have been killed by three negroes in 
the short space of three hours." 




NETTING RAILS. 

"VYe have been informed that a French gentleman of our city 
conceived the project of driving rails into nets set in the reeds ; 
but we believe that he was not very successful in the undertaking, — 
at all events, not as much so as he has been in the capture of reed- 
birds by a somewhat similar process. 

FISH PREY UPON RAILS. 

Wherever rails abound, eels and catfish are said to resort in 
great numbers, anxiously awaiting every opportunity to prey upon 
all those that escape the eye of the marker after being killed, or 
that die from wounds. It is no uncommon thing to find portions 
of these birds, and even whole rails, in the stomachs of eels. 

PLACES TO SHOOT RAILS. 

It is difficult to say where, upon the Delaware, sportsmen can 
find the most rails, as every spot teeming with the Zizania aqua- 
tica is filled with these little birds, and great numbers are killed 
in the neighborhoods of Trenton, Bristol, Bordentown, Burlington, 
Bridesburg, Gloucester Point, Penrose Ferry, Marcus Hook, Laza- 
retto, Chester, &c. This latter place is perhaps as good as any, 



I 



THE RAIL. 



233 



being at a convenient distance from the city, and good pusliei's 
and boats are to be bad without much difficulty. 

EXPENSE ATTENDING RAIL-SHOOTING. 

This amusement is somewhat expensive to the sportsman, — at all 
events, much more so than partridge-shooting. Good pushers 
command high prices for their arduous services, and few, if any of 
them, are contented with less than $2 50 or $3 a tide ; but if they 
perform their duty well, we do not consider these amounts too much, 
as their work is of the severest kind. If the generality of them, 
however, drank less and pushed harder, it would be a salutary 
change for the better among this class of men. 

Some of our friends who live upon the river in the vicinity of 
the rail-ground take turns in pushing each other during the shoot- 
ing season, and thus enjoy in a quiet way this sport, without the 
expense of employing "regular pushers." 




234 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

MEMORANDA. 

1. Rails migrate regularly, as many other birds, and pass tho 
breeding season in tbe North and the winter in the Far South. 

2. These migrations are invariably performed under cover of 
night, and hence the mystery of their sudden appearance: they 
are capable of long flights, and have frequently been caught far 
out at sea. 

3. Like the reed-birds, they. are very partial to the seeds of the 
Zizania aquatica, and consequently frequent the river-shores where 
this plant flourishes in the greatest profusion. 

4. Rails make their appearance in the Delaware and Schuylkill 
Rivers early in August, and remain till the frost warns them to 
seek the sunny South. 

5. Rails are easily killed; two pellets of small shot are quite 
sufficient to knock them down. When wounded, they swim and 
skulk with great skill. 

6. The greatest number of rails as yet killed on any one tide is 
one nimdred and ninety-five. 








3^ 



CHAPTER XIV. 



GREAT RED-BREASTED RAIL. RALLUS ELEGANS. 



LOCALITY AND DESCRIPTION. 

N liis work on the birds of Long Island, 
Giraud thus describes this beautiful 
fowl: — "Bill along the gap, two inches 
and three-quarters ; length of tarsi, two 
inches; sides and forepart of neck and 
the breast, bright orange-brown; iris, 
bright red." Total length of the spe- 
cimen before us, seventeen inches ; wing, 
six and three-quarters. Adult, upper 
part of head and hind-neck dull brown; 
from the base of the upper mandible over the eye a dull white 
line terminating with brownish-orange ; lower eyelids white, loral 
space and a band behind the eye dusky ; upper part of the body 

brownish-black; the feathers broadly margined with light olive- 

235 




236 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



brown ; wing-coverts dull chestnut ; primaries dark brown, inner ' 
secondaries and tail-feathers same as the back ; throat white ; I 

• • • i 

forepart and sides of the neck, with the breast, bright orange- , 
brown ; abdomen and sides of the body dark brown, faintly barred 
with dark brown ; lower tail-coverts white, with a black spot near | 
the end ; the middle feathers black, barred with white. \ 

The Rallus elegans is well known to the Delaware rail-shooters as -j 
the king-rail. They frequent the fresh-water marshes of the inte- 
rior, and seem to feed upon similar food with the sora rails, as they 
are generally found in the same localities. The red-breasted rail 
is far more common in the South than it is to the eastward, being 
seldom met with beyond the reedy shores of the river Delaware. | 
The specimen before us is a very beautiful one, and was obtained i 
while shooting soras below Chester last season. 

The flesh of the king-rail is very analogous to that of the sora, | 
perhaps not quite so delicate, but at times equally as juicy and j 
tender. The Rallus elegans affects fresh-water marshes only, never li 
being found on the seaboard ; it penetrates far into the interior, ■ 
and has the same wild and skulking habits as the other variety ; •' 
its flight is short and apparently labored, and it requires but a ■ 
slight "rap" to knock it over. This bird swims and dives, when ] 
wounded, with great dexterity, and resorts to the same artifices to | 
conceal itself beneath the water as the sora rail. I 

We shot one of these birds on an upland marsh in the midst of j 
a heavy wood, in the interior of Maryland, during the month of | 
July. 

The king-rail is also known as the fresh-water marsh-hen, in j 
contradistinction to the clapper-rail, which is often spoken of ag 
the "salt-water marsh-hen." 





/ 

^ 







CHAPTER XV. _ — 

CLAPPEK-RAIL, OR MUD-HEN. RALLUS CREPITANS. 
NOMENCLATURE, ETC. 

UD-HENS, meadow-clappers, or big rails, 
(for by these appellations this fowl is more 
familiarly known to the coast-shooters,) 
are met with along our whole Atlantic 
board, from the southernmost extremities 
of Florida even as far north as the New 
England States. The clapper-rail is a 
large bird, and affords at times consider- 
ible sport to the shooter : the flesh, however, notwithstanding all 

the arts of the mditre de cuisine to the contrary, is universally 

237 




238 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

insipid, dry, and sedgy. This fowl is not known in Europe, but it 
somewhat resembles the moor-hen (Furtica chlorophus) of England, 
both in its habits, size, and the savorless character of its meat. 

Clapper-rails are extremely shy and secret in their habits, and 
are only to be found along the salt marshes of the sea-shore and 
the large rivers of the Atlantic States. They are always abun- 
dant in New Jersey and Delaware, and sometimes quite numerous 
in the brackish fens of Long Island. The mud-hen is a migratory 
bird, and arrives from the South on the coast of New Jersey and 
the neighboring States about the middle of April. Though coming 
unobserved in the stillness of the night, they soon make their 
presence known to the inhabitants of those districts by the sound 
of their harsh and never-ceasing cackle, somewhat resembling the 
well-known tremulous cry of the Guinea-fowl. Although the 
marshes and sedgy meadows, in the course of a very few days 
after their first appearance, resound on all sides with the unmelo- 
dious notes of these skulking birds, few or none of them are to be 
seen, as they seldom take wing, and when pursued run with amaz- 
ing rapidity through the tangled weeds and high grass which always 
grow so luxuriantly in the haunts that they affect. In our youth- 
ful days we have had many a race after a wounded clapper, and 
know full well that our powers of speed and endurance were often 
most fruitlessly taxed in the arduous chase. 

The mud-hen commences laying towards the close of May ; the 
nest is simple, but often artfully contrived for concealment, having 
the long grass twisted and plaited over it in the form of an arch, 
so as effectually to conceal it from the glance of an inexperienced 
observer. Eight or ten eggs are usually found in their nests : we 
have seen as many as fifteen. The eggs are eagerly sought after 
by the residents of these parts, who, in fact, consider them far 
superior in delicacy to those of the domestic hen. The wholesale 
robbery of their nests is not the only interruption that the clapper- 
rail meets with during the period of incubation, as the marshes are 
occasionally overflown during the continuance of a northeast gale, 
and thousands of eggs as well as old birds are destroyed. 



CLAPPER-RAIL, OR MUD- 11 EN. 239 

Wilson mentions an instance where this calamity took place 
twice during one season, and, notwithstanding these sad misfor- 
tunes, this persevering fowl commenced building anew the third 
time, and in tAVO weeks their eggs appeared as numerous as ever. 
On these occasions, hundreds of mud-hens are destroyed by the 
ruthless hands of idle boys, and even grown persons, many of 
whom avail themselves, as before observed, of every opportunity 
to sacrifice the lives of the inferior animals, from a mere love of 
cruelty, or to gratify a montrous propensity for shedding blood. 

The clapper-rail swims expertly and dives with considerable 
facility, often remaining under the water for several minutes at 
a time, holding on to the roots of the marine plants that grow at 
the bottom of the inlets and guts which intersect the marshes 
whereon these birds congregate. 

It is almost impossible to flush them; and the only chance the 
sportsman has to shoot them is by going on the marshes in a light 
boat during a high tide, when, from want of shelter, they are 
obliged, like the soras, to seek safety in flight, and are then easily 
knocked over. When the tide is not sufficiently high for this 
sport, many may be killed by moving noiselessly along the guts in 
a boat and keeping a sharp look-out on all sides for the many 
clappers that will ever and anon be seen stealing down to the 
water's edge, to drink, or to pick up the small shell-fish and aquatic 
insects which are deposited upon the banks. A good retriever 
Avould prove a useful dog in these expeditions, to recover and 
bring to hand the wounded birds, as when only slightly struck the 
clapper-rail is very tenacious of life, and runs with so much ease 
through the reeds and matted grass that few sportsmen, no matter 
how agile they may be, can overtake them. The dog should be 
as small as possible ; otherwise he will not be able to follow the 
bird through the twistings of the pathways, or rather archways, 
which it forms all through the reeds. 

The flight of the clapper-rail is very similar to that of the sora ; 
and being, if any thing, even more slow and labored, it requires 
but an indifferent shot to bring them down. We have killed these 



240 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. ^^^ 

fowls often, when in pursuit of other coast-birds, on the marshes 
about Cape Maj and Cape Henlopen, but never thought it worth 
while to go a foot out of our way to procure them, as they are at 
best but an unsavory dish for the table; and Ave trust that we 
have never, encouraged the weasel-like propensity to take life from 
sheer fondness of carnage, or perhaps to indulge a morbid taste to 
make a great display by the magnitude of our game-bag. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"The clapper-rail measures fourteen inches in length and 
eighteen in extent; the bill is two inches and a quarter long, 
slightly bent, pointed, grooved, and of a reddish-brown color ; iris 
of the eye dark red; nostril oblong, pervious; crown, neck, and 
back, black, streaked with dingy brown; chin and line over the 
eye brownish- white ; auricular dusky; neck before, and whole 
breast, of the same red-brown as that of the preceding species, 
wing-coverts dark chestnut; quill-feathers plain dusky; legs red- 
dish-brown ; flanks and vent black, tipped or barred with Avhite. 
The males and females are nearly alike. 

"■ The young birds of the first year have the upper parts of an 
olive-brown, streaked with pale slate; wings pale-brown olive; 
chin, and part of the throat, white ; breast ash-color, tinged with 
brown; legs and feet a pale horn-color." 




^^^i^il%_ 



.w^>^" 




'■»u»EMA«-mp[i,„«.aB 



CHAPTER XVI. 

ESQUIMAUX CURLEW, OR SHORT-BILLED CURLEW. SCOLOPAX 
BOREALIS. 

"Soothed by the murmurs of the sea-beat shore, 
His dun-gray plumage floating to the gale, 
The curlew blends his melancholy wail 
With those hoarse sounds the rushing waters pour." 



NOMENCLATURE AND DESCRIPTION. 

9^^^ HIS large and handsome bird is known to 
our shooters as the jack curlew, or short- 
l)illed curlew, in contradistinction to the 
other variety, the Numenius longerostris, 
or long-billed curlew. 

" The Esquimaux curlew is eighteen 
inches long and thirty-two inches in ex- 
tent ; the bill, which is four inches and a 
half long, is black towards the point, and a pale, purplish flesh- 
color near the base ; upper part of the head dark brown, divided 




16 



241 



242 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

by a narrow stripe of brownish-white; over each eye extends a 
broad line of pale drab ; iris dark-colored ; hind part of the neck 
streaked with dark brown ; fore-part and whole breast very pale 
brown; upper part of the body pale drab, centered and barred 
with dark brown, and edged with spots of white on the exterior 
vanes; three primaries black, with white shafts; rump and tail- 
coverts barred with dark brown; belly white; vent the same, 
marked with zigzag lines of brown on^a dark cream ground; legs 
and naked thighs a pale lead-color." 

This bird, like most others of our sea-fowl, is migratory, arriving 
in the Middle States from the South early in the spring, and re- 
maining a short time, feeding on the mud-flats and salt marshes, 
in company with various others of the feathered race. After this 
they take up their line of march for the Far North, where they 
spend the summer in breeding and rearing their young. The 
short-billed curlews travel in large bodies, and keep up a constant 
whistling during their journeys. It is possible that some few re- 
main the whole summer through in the marshes about Cape May, 
for the purposes of incubation: such, indeed, is the opinion of 
those employed in shooting these birds for the markets. We have 
often met with them in the neighborhood of Cape May early in 
July. 

During the breeding season, curlews collect in immense numbers 
on the Labrador coast, where they remain till the months of 
August and September, and then leave in large companies for the 
South. During these months, and until the commencement of cold 
weather, curlews are very numerous on the coast of New Jersey 
and Long Island, frequenting the salt marshes and flats, where 
they find abundance of food, such as marine worms, shell-fish, and 
various species of aquatic insects, all of which they partake of 
greedily. On these mud-flats, where numberless varieties of sea- 
birds collect, are great quantities of a particular kind of shell or 
craw-fish, vulgarly called fiddlers, upon which the larger fowls 
prey and soon become fat. This dainty food, however, though, 
very nutritious and excellent, does not improve the flavor of the | 



ESQUIMAUX OR SHORT-BILLED CURLEW. 243 

bird, as their meat soon becomes coarse and sedgy after their arri- 
val among us. In the North, they keep more to the open grounds 
of the interior, and consequently feed chiefly on seeds, insects, and 
berries. Their flesh at such times is pronounced delicious, and 
even delicate. We have shot them within a few days after their 
arrival among us from the North, and always found them more 
palatable than at any other time. When these birds associate 
with field-plovers and frequent the meadow-lands, their flesh is 
quite passable, and even sometimes quite savory; but it is not 
often that they are found in such good company. Curlews are 
very shy, and require much caution to approach. They fly Avith 
great rapidity when frightened, and require a good blow to bring 
them down. There are many ways of shooting this bird: the 
favorite plan is rowing through the inlets and guts in a boat, and 
killing them as they fly backward and forward to their different 
feeding-grounds, or coming upon them by stealth, when, unsus- 
picious of danger, they are socially feeding, in company with other 
waders, on the insects and shell-fish that they find on the bars and 
points along the creeks. Great caution, silence, and a consider- 
able degree of manoeuvring, are necessary to follow this sport with 
'much success, as these birds are extremely shy and easily put to 
flight. When approaching them, keep near to the shore, and also 
under cover of the land: it will also be frequently necessary to 
get out of the boat and make a long detour, so as to get in the 
rear of the birds : we have often obtained a raking shot at beach- 
fowl in this way. 

If one be wounded, he should be made use of as a decoy for 
•others, as they are very kindly in their feelings, and show a great 
'iesire always to assist a distressed companion, whom they will fly 
iround for a considerable time, and thus off'er many opportunities 
:o kill several before leaving the spot. For all kinds of coast- 
oirds, when shooting from a boat, it is best to have a gun in re- 
^5erve, as the most of them are enticed within reach by the cries of 
■^i winged bird, and the second volley in such cases is oftentimes 
9ihe most destructive. 



244 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

The great mistake that city shooters make in pursuing coast- 
birds is in the size of the guns which they make use of. Partridge- 
guns are not suitable for this kind of sport ; neither are the full 
duck-guns the proper weapon. A medium-sized gun is the proper 
instrument : it should not be too light, or the bore too small, and 
above all it should be forged to throw the shot with great force at 
long distances. When going along the inlets in a boat, keep a 
bright look-out on the marshes adjoining the stream, and you will 
often discover two or three suspicious-looking heads peering up 
from among the high grass, within a short distance of the banks, 
offering an easy shot to the marksman. We have obtained many a 
good shot in this way which otherwise would have been passed by. 
This bird is not the same with the Scolopax phaepus, or whimbrel 
of England, as originally supposed, but proves to be an entirely 
distinct species. 







iCx.F^ 



^-n-v «mw^^^' CHAPTER XVII. 

:.ONG-BILLED CURLEW, OR SICKLE-BILL. NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS. 
HABITS AND DESCRIPTION. 

HIS variety of curlew is larger than the 
preceding species, but not, perhaps, as 
numerous; it is a beautiful and noble- 
looking bird. The habits of the sickle- 
bills are very similar to those of the 
short-billed; they frequent the salt 
marshes and sea-shore about tlie same 
time as the other bird, and we are sur- 
Drised to learn from Mr. Giraud's work that numbers of them re- 
nain on Folly Island, near Charleston, during the season of nidifi- 
;ation, for the purposes of procreation. 

" The long-billed curlew is twenty-five inches in length and 

ihree feet three inches iii extent, and when in good order weighs 

245 




246 lewis's ameeican sportsman. 

about thirty ounces ; but individuals differ greatly in this respect. 
The bill is eight inches long, nearly straight for half its length, 
thence curving considerably downwards to its extremity, where it 
ends in an obtuse knob that overhangs the lower mandible; the 
color black, except towards the base of the lower, where it is of al 
pale flesh-color; tongue extremely short, differing in this from the 
snipe ; eye dark ; the general color alone of the plumage above is 
black, spotted, and barred along the edge of each feather with pale 
brown ; chin, line over the eye, and round the same, pale brownish- 
white; neck, reddish-brown, streaked with black; spots on the 
breast more sparingly dispersed; belly, thighs, and vent, pale, 
plain rufous, without any spots ; primaries black on the outer 
edges, pale brown on the inner, and barred with black ; legs and 
naked thighs very pale light blue or lead-color; the middle toe 
connected with the two outer ones as far as the first joint by a 
membrane, and bordered along the sides with a thick, warty edge ; 
lining of the wing dark rufous, approaching a chestnut, and thinly 
spotted with black. The male and female alike in plumage, &c," 

This bird resembles somewhat the English curlew, (Scolopax 
aquata ;) but the difference in the plumage and length of the bill is 
sufficient to mark it as a distinct species. The English curlew 
weighs about the same with the American ; the bill, howcA'er, is 
two inches shorter. During the season of brambleberries, the cur- 
lews sometimes desert the marshes and fens, and resort to the old 
fields to partake of this fruit, and are then free from that strong, 
sedgy taste which they acquire while feeding on fiddlers, snails, 
shell-fish, and other strong food. 

These birds, like all their congeners, are very shy and hard to 
approach. They are often shot down when in company on the sand- 
flats with other less wary fowls; they are easily decoyed, while 
flying, by imitating their whistle, with which most of oui' coast- 
shooters are familiar, and who often draw them a considerable dis- 
tance from their course by sounding their expressive notes. All sea- 
birds should be fired upon while going from us, as they are more 
easily killed by striking them with the feathers than against them, 



LONG-BILLED CURLEW, OR SICKLE-BILL. 



247 



Tlie long-billed curlew requires a very hard rap to bring him 
down, and will often carry oflf several large pellets with him. They 
usually fly very high and with great velocity, and, Avhen in com- 
panies, adopt the wedge form, like ducks. 

These birds are pursued upon our coast like other sea-fowls, 
either in boats or by tramping over the marshes. A pit dug in 
the marsh adjoining some favorite feeding-ground or point is an 
excellent plan to shoot all kinds of bay-fowl. 

Another variety of curlew, known as the doe-bird, is often shot 
by the bay-shooters ; it is smaller than either of the two preceding 
varieties. It is also termed the jack-curlew. Its habits are the 
same, and it associates with the other two species. 





CHAPTER XVIII. 

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. CHARADRIUS APRICARIUS. 

" O'er the flat marsh we mark the plovers sweep, 
And, clustering close, their wheeling courses keep." 



THEIR HABITS, ETC. 

LACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, being well 
known to most of our sportsmen, are 
eagerly sought after wherever they make 
their appearance. These birds return 
from the South early in May, and re- 
main but a short period upon the sea- 
coast ; they then retire to the high upland 
districts to breed and rear their young, 
and during this season feed upon berries, grasshoppers, and 
various insects, and become very fat and good-flavored. At this 
time more particularly they are known as the old field-plover, or 
whistling plover. Towards August or September, in company 

with the young birds, they resort to the sea-shore, and soon be- 

248 




BLACK-BELLIED PLOVEK. 249 

come sedgy from the change of food. The pkimage of the young 
bird is quite dissimilar to that of the adult bird, in fact so much so 
that they are frequently considered a distinct species, and are then 
known as the "bull or beetle-headed plover." Plovers generally 
fly high, and keep up an incessant whistling, which being repeated 
be the sportsman, the birds are easily decoyed within gunshot. 
They are very shy when feeding, and extreme care is requisite to 
approach them. When on the sea-shore, they may be shot by the 
same artifices resorted to for the killing of curlews or other sea- 
birds. When on the open plains, where they are still more difficult 
to be got at, the use of a stalking-horse is an excellent plan by 
which to circumvent them, and is recommended as a highly suc- 
cessful mode of killing them. 

A most capital manoeuvre, and one adopted by some of our 
sporting friends in the country, is to approach them in a careless 
manner, either in an old wagon or cart, or on horseback, as they 
seldom take alarm at a horse or a vehicle of any description. 

Plovers require a very hard rap to bring them down. This 
variety is known in England. 

As soon as the cold weather sets in, these birds move off to the 
South. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"This species is twelve inches long and twenty-four inches in 
extent ; the bill is thick, deeply grooved on the upper mandible, 
an inch and a quarter in length, and of a black color; the head 
and globe of the eye are both remarkably large, the latter deep 
bluish-black ; forehead white ; crown and hind-head black, spotted 
with golden yellow; back and scapulars dusky, sprinkled with the 
same golden or orange-colored spots, mixed with others of white ; 
breast, belly, and vent, black ; sides of the breast whitish ; wing- 
quills black ; middle of the shafts white ; greater coverts black, 
tipped with white ; lining of the Aving black ; tail regularly barred 
with blackish and pure white ; tail-coverts pure white ; legs and 
feet a dusky lead-color ; the exterior-toe joined to the middle by a 
broad membrane ; hind toe very small. 



250 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

"From the length, of time which these birds take to acquire 
their full colors, they are found in very various stages of plumage. 
The breast and belly are at first white, gradually appear mottled 
with black, and finally become totally black. The spots of orange 
or golden on the crown, hind-head, and back, are at first white, 
and sometimes even the breast itself is marked with these spots, 
mingled among the black. In every stag^e, the seemingly dispro- 
portionate size of the head and thickness of the bill will distinguish 
this species." 




iM^; 



GOLDEN PLOVER. CHARADRIUS PLUVIALIS. 
HABITS, NOMENCLATURE, ETC. 

These birds are more beautiful in their plumage than the latter 
variety, but somewhat smaller ; they are also far less numerous. 
Their habits, however, are pretty much the same, perhaps more 
gregarious, as they are often seen in considerable flocks on the sea- 
board. The notes of the golden plover are less shrill and piping 
than those of the black-bellied plover ; they are less timid, and 
more easily decoyed. These birds are often taken for the young 
of the other variety. They are known as "frost-birds" in the 
neighborhood of New York, from the circumstance of their being 
more abundant about the time of the early frosts of autumn, when 
they are also in good condition. The golden plover resorts to the 
upland meadows in search of berries and grasshoppers, to both of 
which it is very partial. The flesh of these birds in the early 



GOLDEN PLOVER. 251 

autumn is most excellent, and they always command a good price 
when exposed for sale in our markets. As the weather gets cold 
they pass on to the Far South. They breed in regions beyond the 
United States ; they are never very numerous in the Middle or 
Eastern States, and, their flesh being savory, they are highly 
prized.* 

DESCRIPTION. 

" The golden plover is ten inches and a half long and twxnty- 
one inches in extent ; bill short, of a dusky slate-color ; eye very 
large, blue-black ; nostrils placed in a deep furrow and half 
covered Avith a prominent membrane; Avliole upper parts black, 
thickly marked with roundish spots of various tints of golden- 
yellow ; wing-coverts and hind part of the neck pale brown, the 
latter streaked with yellow ; front, broad line over the eye, chin, 
and sides of the same, yellowish-white, streaked with small pointed 
spots of brown olive ; breast gray, with olive and white ; sides 
under the wings marked thinly with transverse bars of pale olive; 
belly and vent white-; wing-quills black, the middle of the shafts 
marked with white ; greater coverts black, tipped with white ; tail 
rounded, black, barred with triangular spots of golden-yellow ; 
legs dark dusky slate ; feet three-toed, with generally the slight 
rudiments of a heel ; the outer toe connected as far as the first 
joint with the middle one. The male and female differ very little 
in color." 

There are several other varieties of plover known to our gunners ; 
the flesh of the most of them is equally good, and when in season 
is highly prized by the epicure. The two above described, how- 
ever, are the largest and most distinguished of the species : the 
others are known as the ring-plover, piping-plover, kildeer-plover, 
Wilson's plover, grass or field-plover, &c. 

The last-named variety, Tringa bartramiana, is not a coast or 



* The golden plover frequents tne sea-coast of the Middle and Eastern States in 
the spring and early summer ; during the autumn they resort to the prairies and 
interior feeding-grounds. 



252 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



marsh bird. They are found most commonly on the inland mea- 
dows and old upland fields, where they feed on grasshoppers, 
beetles, and the various insects that inhabit such situations. They 
are very much esteemed by epicures, their flesh being delicate, 
juicy, tender, and high-flavored. The whole species are wild, 
wary, cunning, and difficult to be approached. 




/ *- 



. tl' 




',v^ 




""'*£S-P»sw*»' £/V 



CHAPTER XX. 5iS 



SEMIPALMATED SNIPE, WILLET, OR STONE-CURLEW. SCOLOPAX 
SEMIPALMATA. 



HABITS, DESCRIPTION, ETC. 

S before stated, the snipe family is ex- 
tremely nmnerous throughout this coun- 
try, and the number and variety of 
birds of this species that flock to our 
sea-coast during the summer and autumn 
^ is almost incredible. 

Among these shore or bay fowls there 
is none more conspicuous or moi'e sought 
after than the one now under considera- 
tion. The shrill and incessant cry of the willet is well known to 

253 




254 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

every frequenter of the salt marshes throughout the States ot 
New York, New Jersey, and Delaware; and this familiarity with, 
the peculiar call of this wary bird is turned to terrible account 
against them, as they are easily deceived and decoyed within reach 
of the treacherous gun by the skilful imitations of the shooters. 

The willet is not known in England, nor is there any bird in 
the country with which it may be said to correspond. Temmick, 
however, notices it as an accidental straggler among the birds of 
Europe. Willets come from the South about the middle of April, 
and soon make preparations for laying ; their nests are built in 
the marshes, upon the tussocks and other little eminences of earth 
and herbage that are scattered about in the dryer places. The 
nest generally contains four tapering dark-colored eggs, which, like 
those of the mud-hen, are said to be good eating; in fact, we 
know them to be very excellent, as we have partaken of them, 
although we did not assist in the destruction of the nests from 
which they were filched. This bird, with most others that build on 
the marshes, suffers greatly during the period of incubation from 
the attacks of crows, weasels and foxes, and other animals, which 
devour numberless eggs as well as young willets. 

These fowls feed on small shell-fish and the innumerable variety 
of aquatic insects and worms found on the marshes ; the flesh 
consequently is sedgy, though not fishy. Young willets are 
juicy and tender, and perhaps more esteemed than any other of 
the shore-birds ; and, when cooked properly, are quite passable 
when no other kind of game is to be had ; in fact, we have heard 
many of our sporting friends really extol these birds when served 
up, and hunt as eagerly after them as if they possessed the deli- 
cacy and game-flavor of the woodcock. 

Willets remain with us till October and November, and some- 
times later, if the weather continues agreeable. They are shot 
during low tide, on the marshes and flats, and when flying are 
easily decoyed by imitating their whistle, which is thought to 
resemble the following combinations,: — Pill-will-ivillet, pill-will- 
willet 



WILLET, OR STONE-CURLEW. 255 

Sliooters most frequently go after these birds in small boats, on 
the inlets and guts that intersect the marshes which they, in com- 
mon with curlews, plover, &c. frequent. 

DESCRIPTION. 

" Length fifteen inches ; extent thirty inches ; upper parts dark 
olive-brown ; the feathers streaked down the centre and crossed 
with waving lines of black ; wing-coverts light olive-ash, and the 
whole upper parts sprinkled with touches of dull yellowish-white ; 
primaries black, white at the root-half; secondaries white, bordered 
with brown ; rump dark brown : tail rounded, twelve feathers pale 
olive, waved with bars of black; tail-coverts white, barred with 
olive ; bill pale lead-color, becoming black towards the tip ; eye 
very black ; chin white ; breast beautifully mottled with transverse 
spots of olive on a cream ground ; belly and vent white, the last 
barred with olive ; legs and feet pale lead-color ; toes half-webbed. 

" Towards the fall, Avhen these birds associate in large flocks, 
they become of a pale dun color above, the plumage being shafted 
with dark brown, and the tail white, or nearly so. At this season 
they are extremely fat, and esteemed excellent eating. Ex- 
perienced gunners always select the lightest-colored ones from a 
flock, as being uniformly the fattest. The female of this species is 
generally larger than the male.' 

Willets, as other shore-birds, have a strong affection for their 
young, or for a companion in distress, and are ever ready to turn 
from their course to offer assistance at the first call for aid, regard- 
less of all consequences. 




256 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



RED-BREASTED SNIPE. SCOLOPAX NOVEBORACENSIS. 

HABITS, NOMENCLATURE, ETC. 

This snipe resembles very much in size and plumage the com- 
mon snipe, more particularly when in its winter plumage; it is, 
however, altogether different in its habits, as well as in the flavor 
of its flesh. The English or Wilson snipe frequents fresh-Avater 
marshes only, while the present species confines itself almost 
exclusively to the salt marshes of our Atlantic States. The Eng- 
lish snipe is mostly a solitary bird, while the red-breasted snipes 
congregate in immense flocks upon the mud-flats and sand-bars. 
This snipe, we believe, is known to our coast-shooters as the brown I 
back, or dowitcher, and we have at times found it more palatable 
than any other kinds of sea-bird, although considerably smaller 
than the curlew, willet, or plover. Being so much smaller than these 
birds, this snipe is not so much sought after as some others ; we, 
however, never let an opportunity pass to bring them to bag, 
when on these excursions, oftentimes in preference to the other 
birds, wdiich are always far more sedgy, and not unfrequently 
fishy besides. 

The red-breasted, or, as they are also called, the quail snipes, 
arrive on the coast of Jersey from the South on their way to their 
breeding-grounds farther north, about the first week in May, re- 
main a short time, and then stretch off for the Canadas. Towards 
the middle of July they commence returning in increased numbers, 
and remain feeding on the marshes till the commencement of the 
cold weather, when they take themselves to the South. These 
snipes fly in large flocks, and feed in thick masses upon the points, 
and will often allow a boat to approach sufficiently near to give 
them a raking shot fore and aft, that not unfrequently spreads 
death and destruction through the greater portion of their affrighted 
ranks. We were present on one occasion when twenty-three of 



RED-BREASTED SNIPE. 257 

these birds were killed at one discharge of a large-sized fowling- 
piece ; and we have killed, repeatedly, six or eight at a shot. 

They are certainly far less wai*y than most other shore-birds, 
and when feeding in company are always the last to take the 
alarm; they are easily deceived by the bay-shooters, and many 
fall victims to the treacherous decoys. 

Their food consists of small snails, and aquatic insects that are 
washed up by the tide. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"The red-breasted snipe is ten inches and a half long and 
eighteen inches in extent; the bill is about two inches and a 
quarter in length, straight, grooved, black towards the point, and 
of a dirty eel-skin-color at the base, where it is tumid and wrinkled ; 
lores dusky; cheeks and eyebrows pale yellowish-white, mottled 
with specks of black ; throat and breast a reddish-buff color ; sides 
white, barred with black ; belly and vent white, the latter barred 
with dusky ; crown, neck above, back, scapulars, and tertials black, 
edged, mottled, and marbled with yellowish-white, pale and bright 
ferruginous, much in the same manner as the common snipe ; wings 
plain olive, the secondaries centred and bordered with white ; shaft 
of the first quill very white; rump, tail-coverts, and tail, (which 
consists of twelve feathers,) white, thickly spotted with black ; legs 
and feet dull yellowish-green ; outer toe united to the middle one 
by a small membrane ; eye very dark. The female is paler on the 
back and less ruddy on the breast." 



OTHER VARIETIES OF SHORE-BIRDS. 

There are several other varieties of the snipe species that sports- 
men eagerly seek after while shooting on the sea-shore marshes ; 
it cannot be expected of us, however, to describe all these birds. 
We shall, therefore, be forced to pass them by with two exceptions, 
namely, the 

17 



258 LEAVIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



1 



SCOLOPAX FLAVIPES YELLOW-SHANKS SNIPE ; AND SCOLOPAX VOCI- 

FERUS TELLTALE SNIPE, GODWIT, OR GREATER YELLOW-SHANKS 

SNIPE. 

Both these birds are well but not favorably known to the market 
shooters of Philadelphia and New York, as they are extremely shy 
and very vigilant, and often give notice, by their shrill whistle, of the 
approach of the pot-hunter when he would not have been observed 
by the less wary fowl feeding around. This habit of timely warn- 
ing their careless companions of the danger that is encompassing 
them has given rise to their respective appellations of Greater or 
Lesser Telltale. Notwithstanding their uncommon vigilance, they 
are, nevertheless, often brought to bag, and in the autumn their 
flesh is not unfrequently very savory. These birds resemble each 
other so very much in their general appearance and plumage that 
the difference in their size alone is the most distinguishing charac- 
teristic. 





3^v»?\ 






^1 



^^^'^ '^ ^ 




''**'«^'.'^^-J>^ -^Sr ■ 






CHAPTER XXII. 




WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. / /-5/ ^*s^- 

"But hark! what sound is that approaching near? 
'Down close !' The wikl ducks come, and, darting down, 
Throw up on every side the troubled wave, 
Then gayly swim around with idle play." 

THIS AMUSEMENT IN AMERICA. 

ILD-FOWL shooting, though not as popu- 
lar or followed Avith the same zest by the 
sportsmen of America as it is by tho«e 
of England and other countries, is never- 
theless every season attracting increased 
attention to its real merits as a manly 
and exciting sport; and no doubt, as 
the conveniences for visitmg our bay 
and sea-shores become more widely diffused throughout the various 
portions of our Atlantic States, by the opening of new steam- 
boat and railroad routes, our pleasure-loving and novelty-seeking 

"259 




260 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

people will flock to the secluded haunts of the Avild fowl much 
more generally than thej do at present. When a fondness for 
this kind of sport is once awakened among us, we may expect 
to see our shooters excel those of any other portion of the world, 
owing to the great abundance of this kind of game, the freedom 
with which they can pursue it, and the enthusiasm Avith which they 
will take it up. This sport, at present, is almost entirely confined 
to the hands of those who follow the occupation of killing wild 
fowl not from motives of pleasure or healthful recreation, but as a 
means of subsistence for themselves and families ; and the tables 
of our epicures are generally supplied from this source. 

Some few of the New York sportsmen occasionally sally forth 
during the ducking season to spend a few days in shooting upon 
the neighboring shores, but the sport is not considered sufficiently 
enticing to carry them very often on such expeditions. We also 
have a few amateurs in Philadelphia who are fond of visiting the 
wild-fowl regions, but none that are very enthusiastic on the sub- 
ject, like Colonel Hawker and many other Englishmen, who have 
devoted so much time and talent to the perfecting of this branch 
of sport. 

Duck-shooting, to-be-sure, is no child's play ; but, on the con- 
trary, is often attended with many mishaps, great hardships, and 
constant exposure to the elements, and withal frequently results 
in fisherman's luck, so often quoted. No true lover of sport, 
however, should be intimidated, or, in fact, object to these petty 
inconveniences, as it is these very circumstances that afford the 
chief enjoyment and give a keener relish to this pursuit, which 
will in time inure him both in body and mind for the accomplish- 
ment of greater and more lasting benefits than the mere destruc- 
tion of game. We cannot expect to arrive at perfection in any 
employment without a becoming share of labor and perseverance ; 
and in the pursuit of ducks the shooter will find a wide field open 
for the exercise of both these virtues, as well as many other qua- 
lifications alike necessary for the attainment of nobler deeds. It 
is indeed necessary for a sportsman, to enjoy this kind of amuse- 



WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 261 

ment, to become accustomed to all kinds of hardships, — to care 
neither for the peltings of the rain, the driving of the snow, 
whistling of the wind, or the freezing of the Avater. All such 
accompaniments to his pursuits must be despised, and not regarded 
as barriers to his enjoyments ; but, as before intimated, their presence 
must be viewed as imparting a keener zest to the pleasure of the 
sport. With feelings akin to these, the sportsman is prepared to 
enter upon the hardy and exciting occupation of wild-fowl shoot- 
ing in all its branches during the cold winter months of our 
northern country ; and such a choice spirit will derive both plea- 
sure and healthful recreation in the pursuit. 

It is almost unnecessary to tell the sportsman that he must be 
provided with many essentials to assist him in holding the elements 
at defiance, and resort to every expedient to protect his ammuni- 
tion from dampness, his gun from rust, and his own person from 
the effects of the cold and rain to which he will often be exposed 
during these excursions. Water-proof boots, water-proof coats, 
woollen shirts, drawers and stockings, and warm gloves, are all 
necessary accompaniments to a ducker's wardrobe ; and, without 
these essentials and a strong heart besides, he had better not enter 
upon the rough-and-tumble sport of wild-fowl shooting as followed 
by an old campaigner. 

A flask of good spirits is also an important accompaniment to 
the other necessaries, but which, by-the-by, should be resorted to 
as seldom as possible ; for the use of liquor during active exercise 
often creates an unnatural thirst, which, if indulged in to an 
extent sufiicient to produce a flush on the cheek or a glow on the 
body, will most assuredly make the eye uncertain or the hand 
unsteady, and, moreover, prove otherwise injurious by opening the 
pores of the system and making the shooter more susceptible to 
the eifects of cold. We have spoken more fully on this subject in 
our hygienic directions. 



262 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



CHESAPEAKE BAY. 

"Above, around, in numerous flocks are seen 
Long lines of ducks o'er this their favorite scene." 

There is no place in our wide extent of country where wild- 
fowl shooting is followed Avith so much ardor as on the Chesapeake 
Bay and its tributaries, not only by those who make a comfortable 
living from the business, but also by gentlemen who resort to these 
waters from all parts of the adjoining States to participate in 
the enjoyments of this far-famed ducking-ground. All species 
of wild fowl resort to these Avaters in numbers beyond credence 
or computation ; and it is really necessary for a stranger to visit 
these regions if he wishes to form a just idea of the wonderful 
multitudes and numberless varieties of ducks that darken these 
waters and hover in interminable flocks over these favored feeding- 
grounds. It is not, however, the variety or extraordinary number 
of ducks on the Chesapeake that particularly attracts the steps of 
so many shooters to these parts, as there are other rivers and 
streams, equally accessible, where wild fowl also abound. But the 
great magnet that makes these shores the centre of attraction is 
the presence of the far-famed canvas-back, that here alone ac- 
quires its peculiar delicacy of flavor while feeding upon the shoals 
and flats of these Avaters. It is in quest of these noble ducks that 
so many repair annually to the shores of the Chesapeake and its 
numerous tributaries, regardless of the myriads of other fowl 
which are seen around on every side. The shooter alone taxes all 
his energies for the destruction of this one variety, regarding all 
others with contempt, and as hardly worthy of powder and shot. 
The month of October has hardly set in before the immense host 
of ducks commence arriving from the North in the waters of the 
Chesapeake. Among the first of these welcome visitors will ]ie 
seen the Anas albeola, commonly knoAvn as the butter-ball, and 
whose sharp and quick note — quack ! quack ! quack ! — is soon heard 
throughout the neighboring streams and marshes, as they ever and 
anon spring up and dart off Avith amazing A'elocity. Noav may be 



WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 265 

seen the Anas boschas, known as the wild drake or mallard ; the 
Anas glacialis, south-southerly or long-tailed duck, with its sin- 
gular and discordant notes ; and a few others. As the season 
progresses, the cold blasts of the North bring down in regular 
succession the sprightly little Anas mavilla, black-head or blue- 
bill ; the cunning Anas Americana, American widgeon or ball-pate ; 
the poaching Anas ferina, or red-head ; the wary Anas Canadensis, 
or Canada goose ; the graceful Cygnus Americanus, or American 
swan; and, last, but not least, the Anas valisineria, or canvas-back. 
Now it is that the waters of the Chesapeake are filled to repletion 
with the armies of ducks that collect on the flats and shoals where 
the juicy blades of the valisineria flourish in the greatest pro- 
fusion. Now it is that the shores are thickly strewed with the 
remnants of this aquatic plant, pulled up from its soft bed. Now 
it is that the waters of the bay are darkened by the flights of the 
winged host travelling hither and thither in search of food. Now 
it is that the ordinary quiet employments of the residents of these 
regions teeming with abundance are abandoned for the more 
exciting and lucrative occupation of duck-shooting. Every old 
musket and rusty fowling-piece is brought into immediate requisi- 
tion. All is bustle and confusion among the duckers ; and now it 
is that the neglected water-dog, who has wandered idly about, 
uncared-for and unfed, for the past nine months, is called familiarly 
and even kindly to the heels of his selfish master. The bay shore 
for miles and miles, long before the dawn of day, is alive with 
shooters ; and every point is occupied with eager marksmen, who 
stand prepared with murderous weapons to give a passing volley 
to every canvas-back that heedlessly ventures within range. The 
before quiet and peaceful shores of the bay now resound with the 
deafening volleys of the toling parties concealed behind the various 
blinds erected along the banks, while the guns from the boats and 
masked batteries send booming over the placid w^aters their echoing 
notes of death and destruction. The wary canvas-backs, startled 
m every quarter, fly here and there, scarcely knowing where to 
repose in safety or feed in peace. 



264 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



HINTS FOR DUCKERS. 

Wild fowl are ever on the alert, and always ready to take alarm 
at the least indication of danger, and therefore must be approached 
with the utmost precaution or waited for in the profoundest . 
silence. The plashing of an oar, the rattling of a pebble, the 
rustling of a leaf, the bobbing up of a head, the exposure of a 
leg, the raising of an arm, or the utterance of a loud word, will 
often put to sudden flight a whole flock of ducks a fcAV minutes 
before feeding in fancied security almost within reach of our 
smallest gun; therefore, "be as still as death itself, yet watchful | 
as life can make you." 

The sense of smell is singularly developed in wild ducks, and, 1 
when approaching them on the Avater, it is necessary to get to the ' 
leeward of them. Colonel Hawker very justly remarks, on this 
point, " In following wild fowl, it is easier to get within twenty 
yards of them by going to leeward than a hundred and fifty 
directly to zvindivard, so very acute is their sense of smelling." 
This fact of their being able to scent an enemy a long distance off 
is well known to the men employed in attending on the decoy- 
ponds of England and France ; and, for the purpose of destroy- 
ing or counteracting the odor emanating from their persons, 
they always hold a piece of burning peat in their mouths when 
visiting their nets. 

DISTANCES ON THE WATER. 

It is very difiicult for the inexperienced to judge of distances on 
the water, and the eye is consequently often deceived on such 
occasions ; and a young sportsman not unfrequently will fire away 
at wild fowl securely feeding far beyond the reach of a gun double 
or treble the calibre of the one he is using, and then express great 
astonishment that the load should have fallen far short of the 
mark, or, perhaps, have scattered harmlessly in the very midst of 
the intended victims. Experience and observation will alone cor- 
rect this fault. 



WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 265 



VELOCITY OF FLIGHT. 



When wild fowl are travelling against the wind, it causes them to 
fly low and closer together than when going with it. The velocity 
with Avhich ducks cleave the air is very great, and argues strongly 
the necessity of having the best of guns and ammunition, to be £uc- 
cessful in this kind of sport. The barrels of duck-guns should be of 
sufficient calibre and length to bear a large proportion of powder, 
so as to throw the shot thickly and with great force to a long 
distance. Under ordinary circumstances, unassisted by the wind, 
ducks fly at the rate of eigldy to one hundred miles an hour, as 
has often been 'proven by actual experiment; and the following 
plan, adopted by Major Cartwright, to ascertain this fact to his 
own satisfaction, is both ingenious and conclusive in its results, 
and we therefore give it in his own words: — "In my way hither, I 
measured the flight of eider-ducks by the following method, — viz. : 
on arriving off" Duck Island I caused the people to lid on their 
oars ; and when I saw the flash of the guns which were fired at a 
flock of ducks as they passed through the latter, I observed by my 
watch how long they were in flying abreast of us. The result of 
very many observations ascertained the rate of their speed to be 
ninety miles an hour." This celerity of flight is not only wonder- 
ful, but seems almost incredible; nevertheless, the fact is well 
substantiated by the observations of other writers respecting the 
movements of birds even less rapid than those of ducks. For 
example, it is not an uncommon occurrence to shoot wild 
pigeons (Columba migratoria) in the forests of Canada, with their 
stomachs filled with perfect, or rather Avhole, grains of rice, which 
must have been gleaned from the rice-fields of the Southern States, 
at a distance, perhaps, of one thousand miles or more from the 
spot where they were killed. Now, allowing several hours of 
active exercise to be sufficient to digest this article of food, or, 
rather, granting the inability of these seeds to resist the action of 
tthe stomach for a longer time than a few hours, it is but fair to 
; conclude that the birds must have flown with astounding velocity 



1^6 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

to have arm^ed at sucli a distance from the rice-plantations even 
before its last meal was digested. Still further to elucidate this 
subject, we will mention another well-authenticated circumstance 
that has already been referred to by more than one writer. It 
is stated that a falcon belonging to Henry the Fourth, King of 
France, escaped from Fontainebleau, and was captured again at 
Malta, a distance of nearly fourteen hundred miles, in less than 
twenty-four hours from the time of its liberation from its former 
prison. Now, if we suppose this bird to have been in motion 
during the whole of the time intervening between its escape from 
Fontainebleau and its recapture at Malta, the rate at which it 
travelled would exceed sixty miles an hour. This supposition, 
however, is neither correct nor rational, as this species of bird 
never flies in the night ; and we must therefore grant it the hours 
of darkness for repose, and calculate the actual velocity of flight 
accordingly. Allow, therefore, that the falcon enjoyed eighteen 
hours of light, which is more than a fair proportion of the time in 
opposition to our argument, and also grant that the bird was seen 
the moment of its arrival at Malta, which is also somewhat impro- 
bable, the speed with which it must have flown is equal to eighty 
miles an hour, or within a fraction of that amount. 





CHAPTER XXIII. 

CANVAS-BACK. ANAS VALISINERIA. 

"Now all around us rising trains appear; 
Wild whistling wings on every hand we hear ; 
The alarm of death amid their legions spread, 
In files immense they winnow overhead." 



THEIR HIGH ESTIMATION. 

OTH with sportsmen and epicures the 
far-famed canvas-back stands forth pre- 
^' eminent for the richness and delicacy of 
_ - its flesh ; in fact, it is conceded in all 
quarters that no wild fowl in any portion 
of the globe can vie in flavor with the 
canvas-back of the Chesapeake or Poto- 
mac. No variety of duck is more eagerly 
sought after by the sportsmen of our country, and no viand con- 
tributes so largely to enhance the enjoyments of the table among 

the luxurious followers of Epicurus as the presence of this delicious 

207 




268 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

fowl, served up piping hot, all redolent with the captivating fumes 
of its savory flesh; and, in the words of Wilson, "canvas-backs 
not only grace, but dignify, the table ; and their very name conveys 
to the imagination of the eager epicure the most comfortable and 
exhilarating ideas." 

The beautiful appearance, large size, immense numbers, and 
juicy tenderness of these ducks, during their stay on the Chesa- 
peake and its tributaries, cause them to be persecuted with an un- 
relenting ardor by shooters collected from all parts of the neighbor- 
ing States, urged on not only by a healthful desire for sport, but 
doubly stimulated by the more selfish motive of gain. Although 
thousands of these ducks are annually sent to the markets of 
Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, and even as far south as 
Charleston, the demand for them at these places is ever the same; 
and the exorbitant price that they readily bring — tw^o or three 
dollars per pair — is of itself a sufiicient proof of the high estima- 
tion in which our citizens hold them. 

KNOWN ONLY IN AMERICA. 

This duck we are proud to claim as solely American, there being 
no fowl as yet described in any portion of the world, except per- 
haps the pochard of England, that at all resembles the canvas- 
back. This duck, however, is much smaller, and weighs at least 
one-third less; and the delicacy of its flesh, though good, is far 
inferior to that of our species. 

Before going further, we will make the reader familiar with this 
beautiful duck by the introduction of Wilson's description : — 

" The canvas-back is two feet long and three feet in extent, 
and, when in good order, weighs three pounds; the bill is large, 
rising high in the head, three inches in length, and one inch and 
three-eighths thick at the base, of a glossy black; eye very small; 
irides dark red ; cheeks and foreparts of the head blackish-brown ; 
rest of the head and greater part of the neck bright, glossy, reddish- 
chestnut, ending in a broad space of black that covers the upper part 
of the breast and spreads round to the back ; back, scapulars, and 



II 



CANVAS-BACK. 269 

tertials white, faintly marked with an infinite number of tranverse 
waving lines or points, as if done with a pencil ; whole lower parts 
of the breast, also the belly, white, slightly pencilled in the same 
manner, scarcely perceptible on the breast, pretty thick towards 
the vent ; wing-coverts gray, with numerous specks of blackish ; 
primaries and secondaries pale slate, two or three of the latter of 
which nearest the body are finely edged with deep velvety black, 
the former dusky at the tips ; tail very short, pointed, consisting 
of fourteen feathers of a hoary brown ; vent and tail-coverts black ; 
lining of the wing white ; legs and feet very pale ash, the latter 
three inches in width, — a circumstance which partly accounts for 
its great powers of swimming. 

" Ttie female is somewhat less than the male, and weighs two 
pounds and three-quarters.* The crown is blackish-brown ; cheeks 
and throat of a pale drab ; neck dull brown ; breast, as far as the 
black extends on the male, dull brown, skirted in places with pale 
drab ; back dusky white, pencilled like the back ; wings, feet, and 
bill as in the male; tail-coverts dusky; vent white, waved with 
brown." 

NATURAL HISTORY. 

Very little or nothing is known of the canvas-back during the 
period of incubation; in fact, the history of the whole duck tribe 
during this interesting season is but little knowm, as they retire at 
the breaking up of winter to the far regions of the Arctic, and 
there, in those solitudes never trod by the Avandering footsteps of 
man, they unmolested breed and rear their young. 

Audubon, however, informs us that they breed in considerable 
numbers on the borders of Bear River, in Upper California; also 

December 17, 1849. 
* We are just in receipt of two couples of canvas-backs, from the Chesapeake, 
the aggregate weight of which is twelve pounds and a half, being three pounds and 
an eighth to each fowl ; as they are paired, male and female, the weight is rather 
unusual. We occasionally hear of a seven-pound couple ; but such ducks are very 
rare, even in the height of the season. AVe have seen some couples that weighed 
within a fraction of eight pounds ; but such are still more rare. 



270 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

in the marshes and along the banks of streams in many parts of 
the Rocky INIountains. 

Canvas-backs first make their appearance on our waters in the 
months of October and November. During the time of migration 
a few are encountered upon the Hudson and Delaware, and other 
rivers, but the great body of ducks generally take up their line of 
march straight for the Chesapeake and its tributaries, the SusquS' 
hanna, Potomac, James, Elk, North-East, Bush, Gunpowder, and 
some other smaller streams. 

It will now be very naturally asked by the uninitiated but in- 
quisitive reader. Why do these ducks resort so particularly to the 
above-mentioned waters in preference to the hundreds of others 
of our noble rivers? This question is easily solved when we in- 
form him that a peculiar kind of aquatic plant on which they de- 
light to feed grows luxuriantly in these streams, and that it is 
seldom or never found in other localities ; and, if met Avith at all, is 
generally in such small quantities that it would not furnish food 
sufficient for these numberless ducks for more than a few days. 
They, therefore, instinctively, or perhaps led by the older members 
of the flocks, wend their way from the bleak climes of the North in 
a direct course to these favored regions of abundance, and where, 
previous to the coming of the white man, the feathered tribes re- 
mained all winter, feeding unmolested and undisturbed by the 
never-ceasing reports of the terrible duck-guns which now spread 
death and destruction on all sides. When the canvas-backs first 
arrive in our waters, they are rather poor and unpalatable, but 
soon become fat and juicy, as they are very industrious feeders, 
and partake largely of the roots of the valisineria, or wild celery, 
which is very tender and extremely nutritious. This species of 
aquatic herb, from which the canvas-back so appropriately derives 
its scientific appellation, grows in great abundance on the exten- 
sive shoals of the Chesapeake, as also on the numerous flats of all 
the rivers that empty their waters into this estuary. The plant 
attains several feet in height, and has a small white root very much 
resembling young celery ; and it is upon this delicate portion alone 



CANVAS-BACK. 271 

that the dainty canvas-back regales his fastidious appetite, dis- 
daining the green blades, which are left to float off and strew the 
shores of the bay for miles and miles. There are several species 
of ducks that are as equally fond of the roots of the valisineria as 
the canvas-backs ; but, not being as strong as this fowl, they are 
not able to dive deep enough to seize the stock sufficiently near the 
bottom to insure pulling the plant up by the roots. These ducks, 
however, are always seen feeding with the canvas-back, and sup- 
ply this deficiency in their physical construction to the adaptation 
of their wants by a singular boldness and ingenuity. For acting 
the part of skulking poachers, they attentively watch every opportu- 
nity to seize upon the dainty morsel the very moment the canvas- 
back makes his appearance on the top of the water with the root in 
his mouth, and then, swimming off rapidly to a convenient distance, 
quietly enjoy the stolen repast, unmolested by their good-tempered 
opponent, who soon dives down again for another honne-houche. 

Among these cunning pilferers, none are more conspicuous than 
the red-heads and bald-pates, both of which are always found feed- 
ing in company with the canvas-back, and at the height of the 
season are not very far inferior to these ducks ; and it oftentimes 
puzzles the best judges to distinguish one from the other, when 
properly served. We have seen the epicurean taste of some of our 
sporting friends put to the test on this point more than once ; and 
the mistakes which have been made on these occasions are conclusive 
evidence of the great similarity in the flavor of these three varieties 
of ducks during the particular period that they all feed exclusively 
upon the roots of the valisineria. 

Although the canvas-backs are excessively fond of the bulbous 
portions of the Valisineria Americana, and prefer it to any other 
kind of food, they are not solely dependent upon this herbal pro- 
duction for subsistence, but are obliged to resort to other species of 
aquatic plants when driven from the rivers and flats of the upper 
bay, by the large masses of floating ice, into regions where this 
vegetable does not grow. When forced by this circumstance to quit 
their favorite feeding-grounds, the canvas-backs betake themselves 



272 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN.' 

far down the bay, where the valisineria is thinly distributed and the 
shallows are more generally covered with a different variety of 
marine plant, known as eel-grass. At such times, the canvas- 
backs, being driven to partake of this rank grass, as well as small 
fish and many other less dainty articles of food, soon lose a great 
deal of that delicacy of flavor which alone seems to be imparted to 
their flesh by the use of this water-celery. If they should be con- 
fined to a different diet for any considerable time, their flesh be- 
comes sedgy and savorless, and is not much superior to many 
other varieties of sea-coast fowl. 

The fact of the fondness of the canvas-back for this bulbous 
root, and the knowledge of the peculiar savor imparted to their 
flesh by partaking of it, has been turned to useful account by 
some of our intelligent agriculturists, who coop and feed the com- 
mon domestic duck upon the tops and roots of the garden celery 
for a few days previous to killing them, which plan is said to 
much improve their flavor and altogether destroy that rankness 
which is often observable in the barnyard fowl. A friend of the 
author, who has fattened ducks in this way, assures him that it was 
almost impossible to distinguish some of them from wild ones, 
their taste being so much improved. 

The canvas-back extends its migrations as far south as Florida, 
and is known at New Orleans under the somewhat singular appella- 
tion of "canard cheval." They are much esteemed in that city 
for their delicacy, but are said to be far inferior to those killed on 
the Chesapeake. Canvas-backs are often met with in the markets 
of Charleston and Savannah; but they are commonly very poor, 
insipid, and at .times fishy, and not as much esteemed late in the 
season as either mallards or teal. We are informed by a friend that 
these ducks are very numerous in Galveston Bay, and at times are 
most excellent eating. 

In the neighborhood of New Orleans the canvas-backs resort 
to wet prairies and fresh-water ponds, where they feed upon the 
seeds of various plants, more particularly those of the wild oats 
and water-lily. This kind of food being somewhat analogous to 



CANVAS-BACK. 273 

that which they partake of in the Chesapeake Bay, it is not im- 
probable that the canvas-backs of that particular region may be 
but a trifle inferior to those shot on the fresh-water shoals of the 
North, where the Valisineria Americana flourishes in such pro- 
fusion. 

THEIR SHYNESS. 

The canvas-back is an extremely shy and wary fowl, and very 
difficult to approach, except by means of some cunningly-devised 
stratagem, as there are always sentinels on the look-out for in- 
truders, whether the mass of ducks be sleeping at night or feeding 
during the daytime. When on the water, they may be distin- 
guished at a great distance from other ducks by their constant 
habit of diving, and when on the wing they fly in a wedge-like 
form, with considerable velocity, and generally at a great height. 
"When wounded, they dive very deep and swim immense distances 
under water, thus baffling every efi'ort of the most skilful dogs to 
overtake them ; and the sagacious animals that are trained to this 
kind of sport are perfectly aware of this circumstance, as they 
seldom or never show any disposition to go after wounded canvas- 
backs ; for they know full well, from hard-taught experience, the 
utter impossibility of catching them, no matter how fast they may 
swim or how deep they may dive in the pursuit. 




MODES OF TAKING CANVAS-BACKS. 

In detailing the various schemes and describing the innumerable 
contrivances that the ingenuity of man has prompted him to adopt 
for the purpose of circumventing and destroying this much-prized 
duck, we will, ere finishing the subject, have pretty much ex- 
hausted the whole material appertaining to wild-fowl shooting; as 

it is to the taking of this particular variety that the energies of 

18 



274 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the whole shooting craft are devoted in those portions of the 

country where they, in common with numberless other ducks, 

congregate. 

TOLINa DUCKS. 

We will first speak of a most curious process resorted to by the 
shooters on the Chesapeake Bay, at the beginning of the season, 
for the purpose of decoying canvas-backs from the flats within 
gunshot of the sportsmen, who lie concealed from observation 
behind blinds erected all along the shore at convenient intervals. 
This practice we have already described in our edition of " Youatt," 
under the head of Newfoundland Dog, and as there put down will 
transfer it to these pages, with some additional observations : — 

" This may not be an inappropriate place to speak of the won- 
derful mode of decoying ducks, termed toUng, so extensively 
practised upon the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, where 
the canvas-backs and red-heads resort in such quantities every 
autumn. A species of mongrel water-dog, or often anj com- 
mon cur, is taught to run backwards and forwards after stones, 
sticks, or other missiles, thrown from one side to the other along 
the shore. In his activity and industry in this simple branch of 
education, within the comprehension of any dog, consists the 
almost incredible art of toling the canvas-back. With a dog of 
this character, the shooting party, consisting of several persons, all 
prepared with heavy double-barrelled duck-guns, ensconce them- 
selves at break of day behind some one of the numerous blinds 
temporarily erected along the shore contiguous to the feeding- 
grounds of these ducks. 

"Every thing being arranged and the morning mists cleared 
off, the ducks will be seen securely feeding on the shallows not less 
than several hundred yards from the shore. The dog is now 
put in motion by throwing stones from one side of the blind to the 
other. This will soon be perceived by the ducks, who, stimulated 
by an extreme degree of curiosity, and feeling anxious to inform 
themselves as to this sudden and singular phenomenon, raise theii] 
beads high in the water and commence swimming for the shon 



CANVAS-BACK. 275 

The dog being kept in motion, the ducks will not arrest their pro- 
gress until within a few feet of the water's edge, and oftentimes 
will stand on the beach, staring, as it were in mute and silly asto- 
nishment, at the playful motions of the animal. 

"If well trained, the dog takes no notice whatever of the ducks, 
but continues his fascination until the quick report of the battery 
announces to him that his services are now wanted in another 
quarter; and he immediately rushes into the water to arrest the 
flight of the maimed and wounded, who, struggling on every side, 
dye the water with their rich blood. 

" The discovery of this mode of decoying ducks was quite acci- 
dental, being attributed to a circumstance noticed by a sports- 
man, who, concealed behind a blind patiently awaiting the near 
approach of the canvas-backs, observed that they suddenly lifted 
up their heads and moved towards the shore. Wondering at this 
singular and unusual procedure on the part of this wary bird, he 
naturally looked round to discover the cause, and observed a young 
fox sporting on the river-bank ; and the ducks, all eagerness to 
gaze upon him, were steering their course directly for the shore.* 

"These ducks will not only be decoyed by the dog, but will 
often come in by waving a fancy-colored handkerchief attached to 
the ramrod. We have seen a dog fail to attract their attention 
till bound around the loins with a white handkerchief, and then 
succeed perfectly well. The toling season continues about three 
weeks from the first appearance of the ducks, — often a much shorter 
time, as these birds become more cautious, and are no longer 
deceived in this way. The canvas-back toles better than any 
other duck ; in fact, it is asserted by some sportsmen that this 
particular variety alone can be decoyed in this mode. There are 



* Be this as it may, this peculiar faculty of fascination on the part of the dog 
has long been known and practised on the decoy-ponds of England, to a much 
more limited extent, to-be-sure, but still sufficient to show that these wild-fowl 
shooters, or rather netters, understand the whole bearing of the operation. For 
further information on the subject we refer our readers to Uewick's account of the 
decoy-ponds. 



276 lewis's amekican sports:.ian. 

always numbers of other ducks feeding with the canvas-back, 
particularly the red-heads and black-heads, who partake of the 
top of the grass which the canvas-back discards after eating off the 
root. These ducks, though they come in with the canvas-backs 
when toled, do not seem to take any notice whatever of the dog, 
but continue to swim along, carelessly feeding, as if intrusting 
themselves entirely to the guidance of the other fowl. 

"As far as we have been able to judge, we are inclined to this 
opinion also, and do not recollect ever having succeeded in toling 
any other species of duck unaccompanied by the canvas-back, 
although we have made the effort many times. These ducks are a 
very singular bird, and, although very cunning under ordinary 
circumstances, seem perfectly bewildered upon this subject. We 
were one of a party several years since who actually succeeded 
in decoying the same batch of ducks three successive times in the 
course of an hour, and slaying at each fire a large number. We 
counted out over forty at the conclusion of the sport. 

"Although the toling of ducks is so simple in its process, there 
are few dogs who have sufficient industry and perseverance to 
arrive at any degree of perfection in the art. The dog, if not 
possessed of some sagacity and considerable training, is very apt 
to tire and stop running when the ducks have got near the shore 
but too far off to be reached by the guns, which spoils all, as the 
birds are very apt to swim or fly off if the motion of the animal 
is arrested for a few moments."* 

Since writing the above, we have been assured by an experienced 
and somewhat veteran sportsman that both the black-heads and 
the red-heads tole with the same facility, and the former duck, if 



* On some particular days, even in the midst of the toling season, without any 
apparent reason, the toler is obliged to relinquish his sport, as no artifice on the 
part of the dog will induce the ducks to come in, although on the preceding day 
they may have exhibited the greatest eagerness to satisfy their curiosity on this 
point. The immediate cause of this fickleness on the part of these fowl it is difiBcult 
to explain, as it cannot be attributed to any sudden change in the weather or other 
concomitant circumstances which most generally influence the actions of the 
feathered race. 



CANVAS-BACK. 277 

any thing, even more easily than the canvas-backs. From further 
observation and more minute inquiry on the subject of toling, we 
are now inclined to think that very nearly all varieties of the 
Avild fowl can be decoyed in the way above described ; but at the 
same time we are more than ever convinced that the canvas-back 
is more susceptible to this strange influence than any other duck 
on our waters. The reason why we were at first led to suppose 
that the canvas-back alone could be influenced by these playful 
motions of a dog; was owing to the circumstance of our never 
havino; at that time toled wild fowl on other Avaters than the Chesa- 
peake, where the canvas-back is always to be seen feeding during 
the shooting season in company with all the other varieties that 
flock to this favorite resort; and we had not perhaps considered 
how seldom it was that a bed of ducks could be seen on these 
waters that did not chiefly consist of canvas-backs, as the most of 
the other varieties keep company with these ducks for the purpose 
of feeding on the refuse of the celery which they, by their superior 
strength and dexterity, are enabled to pull up from the bottom of 
the rivers. We consequently may have been perfectly correct in 
our assertion ^^ of never haviny succeeded m toling any other spe- 
cies of duck unaccompanied by the ca7ivas-back f but at the same 
time our inferences may have been entirely wrong, when we con- 
sider how seldom a bed of ducks is seen on these waters that is not 
principally composed of canvas-backs. And, moreover, when we 
consider the acuteness of vision and the never-ceasing watchful- 
ness of the canvas-back, we need not be at all surprised that they 
should be most generally the first to notice the dog or the first to 
take the lead in the general movement towards the shore, — all the 
other ducks apparently following, although they may be equally 
under the magic influence. 

This plan of killing ducks, though practised by all the gentry 
as well as pot-hunters who frequent the bay-shore, is not altogether 
recognised as a sportsmanlike way of bagging game, and is for- 
bidden on some of the grounds in possession of the clubs that meet 
during the shooting season at different points in the bay. Against 



278 lewis's amekican spoetsman. 

the utility of this regulation we will not venture an argument. The 
gentlemen composing these associations no doubt have good reasons 
for their restriction. We must confess, however, that we see no 
impropriety nor any thing unsportsmanlike in thus decoying this 
wary fowl within reach of our guns, more particularly in positions 
, where all other modes of getting at them would surely fail ; but, 
on the contrary, we have always found a great deal in the sport to 
admire, as it is not unfrequently attended Avith a high degree of 
pleasurable excitement, while witnessing the playful antics of the 
dog operating so strangely upon his bewildered and silly victims 
that so soon pay the forfeit of their idle curiosity in death. And, 
moreover, if we desired to act the part of a sage, we might also 
draw a pretty moral from the incident, in demonstrating to our 
brother sportsmen that a foolish and idle curiosity even in the brute 
creation often results in disastrous consequences to the parties 
concerned. 

Along some shores on the Gunpowder and Bush Rivers, exclu- 
sively devoted by their proprietors to toling, the season for this 
sport continues very late, as the fowl are seldom or never disturbed 
upon their feeding-grounds far out in the stream, where they 
take immediate refuge after being fired at and remain in per- 
fect security till enticed again within gunshot; and this may be 
accomplished several times during the same day, and the slaughter 
consequently is often enormous. This method of killing ducks is less 
injurious in its effects upon the movements of wild fowl than any 
kind of boat-shooting that can be practised, as it never disturbs 
them on their feeding-grounds, but attacks them only when fool- 
ishly wandering away from their usual secure haunts. 

The proper and most destructive moment to shoot ducks, when 
they have been toled, is when they present a side-view. 

Duck-dogs, when behind the blinds along the bay-shore, mark 
the flight of wild fowl as anxiously as the sportsman himself, and 
often by their manner give evidence of the approach of ducks 
before they are observed by those on the watch for them. 



CANVAS-BACK. 279 

BOATING DUCKS. 

Another method of killing canvas-backs is that of boating them 
on their feeding-grounds in small skiflFs, either in the daytime or 
during the still hour of night. The latter plan, of course, is the 
most destructive and terrifying to the fowl. 

A large swivel, carrying several ounces of powder and a pound 
or more of shot, is placed on the bow of a light boat, and, by 
means of muffled oars and under cover of the darkness, it is carried 
into the very midst of the sleeping ducks, and, being fired into their 
thick columns, great numbers are destroyed as well as crippled. 
This plan of killing wild fowl, however, is very generally repro- 
bated by all respectable parties interested in this sport, and is very 
properly restricted by legislative enactment. Notwithstanding, 
however, the general discountenance of the community and the 
severe penalties threatening the participators in this cruel plan 
of butchery, many unprincipled poachers, who shoot for the mar- 
kets, boldly resort to this expedient to fill their slender purses, 
in spite of all law and the universal execrations of those who live 
in the neighborhood of the bay. These impudent and reckless 
fellows know full well the inefficiency of all such laws, owing to 
the disinclination, or rather want of energy, on the part of the 
people to enforce them ; for, without the assistance of those in- 
terested in such matters, all legislative enactments in reference to 
the preservation of game soon become obsolete, and the laws are 
no more than a dead letter. 

Strong efi"orts, however, were made at the last session of the 
Maryland legislature to do something towards the protection of 
the wild foT^l on the Chesapeake, by the suppression of the surface- 
boats and the use of large guns ; but the enactment was of little 
avail as regards the surface-boats, owing to some unlooked-for 
defect in the framing of the act, and we now learn that there is 
some probability of its being i-epealed altogether, which we very 
much regret: we would much rather see it made more rigid and 
then strictly enforced. 



280 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Nothing is better calculated to drive ducks from their accustomed 
feeding-grounds than the practice of boating them at night; for, 
being disturbed during their wonted hours of repose and security 
by an unforeseen enemy, they soon learn that there is no safety 
for themselves under any circumstances, and have been known to 
abandon such places almost entirely after being shot at two or 
three times in the quiet of the night, when perhaps the whole flock, 
perfectly unconscious of danger, were wrapped in deep sleep. 

Boating ducks on their feeding-grounds, even with small guns 
during the daytime, will soon drive them from their accustomed 
haunts, and force them to find other spots at a distance where they 
can remain undisturbed. All modes of boating ducks are con- 
demned by the sportsmen visiting these parts, as well as by those 
who reside in the vicinity of the bay-shore. 

NETTING DUCKS. 

A very ingenious way of taking canvas-backs was resorted to a 
few years since by a gentleman living on the bay, and which cer- 
tainly, for its novelty, requires some notice on our part. This 
plan consisted in sinking gilling-nets a short distance below the 
surface of the water, so that the ducks in diving would get their 
heads and wings entangled in its meshes, and thus miserably perish 
by drowning. 

Great numbers were secured by this method at first; but the 
canvas-backs soon entirely forsook the shoals where these nets 
were placed, and did not return to them again during the same 
season. But what brought this method more particularly into dis- 
repute, even among pot-hunters, was the circumstance of the ducks 
secured in this way being so far inferior to those which were shot, 
owing to their being drowned and remaining so long a time under 
the water, as the placing of the nets occupied so much time and 
labor that it would not pay to examine them oftener than once in 
twenty-four or forty-eight hours; and many of the ducks, conse- 
quently, were under the water during a greater portion of this time. 
The flesh, under these disadvantages, became watery and insipid, and 



CANVAS-BACK. 281 

the ducks, moreover, were very hard to keep, except in excessively 
cold weather, on account of their bodies absorbing so much water. 
The whole system of gilling ducks is now entirely abandoned, and 
we only mention it as one of the things that have appeared and 
passed away. This method, however, of taking ducks is not alto- 
gether new, as a somewhat similar plan is resorted to on the coast 
of France for taking the scoter-duck, Avhich little fowl resorts in 
considerable numbers to the sea-coast for the purpose of feeding on 
the shell-fish that there abound. The fishermen, or those engaged 
in taking Avild fowl, spread their nets at low tide on the flats where 
these shell-fish are found, being supported two or more feet from 
the ground, so that the ducks, feeding in with the tide and diving 
after food, become entangled, as in the case of the canvas-backs, 
in the meshes of the net. 

DUG-OUTS. 

Another very successful mode of killing ducks, and one which 
has been very much in vogue for many years on our rivers, is the 
use of the dig-outs or dug-outs,* a small kind of boat moored over 
the flats, and concealed as far as possible from observation by 
quantities of eel-grass thrown over it. Thus fixed, and surrounded 
by large numbers of decoys that are previously anchored all around 
the little vessel, the shooter patiently awaits the approach of the 
wild ducks which are flying up and down the river, and are, of 
course, tempted to dart down upon the deceptive decoys, believing 
them to be others of their own species that are feeding in perfect 
security, notwithstanding the proximity of the greenish mass which 
conceals the shooter and his boat. As soon as the canvas-backs 
have come sufiiciently near, the shooter rises up suddenly and 
blazes away with his ponderous weapon, dealing death «nd de- 
struction throughout the affrighted ranks of his unsuspecting 
victims. 



* So termed from being constructed by excavating the trunk of a large tree suffi- 
ciently deep to allow the person of the shooter to lie concealed in it. 



282 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



When £he weather is favorable and the ducks are flying, this 
plan succeeds very well, and ofi'ers considerable attractions in the 
way of sport to those accustomed to wild-fowl shooting ; but if the 
weather be cold and boisterous, none should attempt it but those 
inured to the roughest usage and who are perfectly regardless of 
the state of the elements. 





THE surface-boat; coffin-boat; 
battery; sink, or box. 



UG-OUTS have been entirely superseded 
during the three or four past seasons, on 
the waters of the Chesapeake, by the in- 
troduction of the surface-boat, as repre- 
sented in the above engraving. 

This ingenious machine has many local 
appellations. Those in most general use will 
be seen at the heading of this article, and 
at the close of it the reader will find explicit directions, together 
with a skeleton model of the same to be used as a guide in building 
one for his own use. 

The boat is anchored out on the feeding-grounds, surrounded bj 
innumerable decoys, resembling as much as possible the canvas- 
backs, and so balanced in the water that the most observant eye 

283 




284 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

can liardly distinguisli them fi'om the living fowl, as they ride 
gently on the surface and appear to be employed in feeding, owing 
to the constant motion of their heads and body imparted to them 
by the quiet rippling of the water. ' 

The construction of this skiff is such that when anchored out, 
loaded with the shooter, his ammunition, and the necessary ballast, 
the water is on a level with the deck of the box ; and when re- 
clining, the occupant and all his paraphernalia are entirely con- 
cealed from observation, insomuch that it is next to impossible to 
distinguish any portion of this curious ambush, even when within 
a few hundred feet of it. We have often been amazed when gazing 
on the water in the direction of the flats, to see a black figure rise 
up suddenly, as if from the deep, and blaze forth a destructive 
volley into a flock of ducks about to alight, and then immediately 
sink again from view. The shooter, having delivered his well- 
directed fire, quickly reloads his gun or guns, and throwing 
himself again on his back, awaits another opportunity to repeat 
the sport, which almost immediately follows, provided the day be 
favorable for the flying of wild fowl. It is better, in fact usual, to 
have two or more double-barrelled guns in the sink, as a great 
many ducks are only winged at the first discharge, and need re- 
shooting to secure them. 

Thus, in rapid succession, immense numbers of canvas-backs, as 
well as other wild fowl, are killed, and the water for a hundred 
feet or more is crimsoned with the rich blood and covered with the 
mangled bodies of this far-famed duck. Those engaged in this 
profitable way of killing canvas-backs are always accompanied by 
a companion in a light sail or row boat, Avho keeps at a respectful 
distance, for the purpose of watching over the safety of his associate 
as well as running down upon the adjacent feeding-grounds and 
putting the ducks to flight, so that they may chance to join the 
decoys that are set to allure them as they pass up and down the 
feeding-shoals. On the flats in the coves near to Havre de Grace 
and Spesutia Island, where this method of shooting ducks has been 
more particularly practised during the last three seasons, there is 



CANVAS-BACK. 285 

but little or no current during calm weather, and therefore is 
singularly suitable for this kind of sport. The ducks, after being 
shot, will remain nearly in the same place where they dropped for 
a considerable time without drifting away ; the shooter, therefore, 
pays no heed to them until he has a large number killed, when he 
makes a signal to his companion to come and pick them up. 

The amount of ducks killed in this way during the four past 
seasons is enormous, — almost beyond belief. 

"We are credibly informed that Mr. W. W. Levy, a ducker well 
known on the Chesapeake Bay for his skill in this particular sport, 
has killed as many as one hundred and eighty-seven ducks in one 
day, and during the seasons of 1846 and 1847 actually bagged 
seven thousand canvas-backs. 

This system of killing ducks, we believe, was introduced on the 
Chesapeake Bay by some of the experienced wild-fowl shooters 
from the vicinity of Ncav York, and who now reap a rich harvest 
from their hardihood and ingenuity. It is no unusual thing for 
one of these men to kill as many as fifty couples of canvas-backs 
in the course of a day; and if the weather prove favorable for 
this kind of shooting, they have been known to fill a small vessel 
with ducks in two or three days, which they immediately despatch 
for the markets of New York, Baltimore, or Philadelphia. These 
worthies that pursue wild fowl for a living usually make their 
appearance on the Chesapeake Bay in small yachts, or rather ill- 
looking sloops, in which they live and stow away their plunder, 
seldom or never visiting the neighboring shores, knowing full well 
the reception they most likely would meet with from the hands of 
those residents who also kill ducks during the winter season to 
sell, and consequently, from selfish motives alone, are very testy 
and jealous of those rights which the legislature has endeavored 
to guarantee to them, but which they from a lack of principle and 
moral energy are incompetent to enforce by legal measures. 

When the wind is blowing pretty fresh and the ripple high, the 
ducks are more apt to notice the decoys than on perfectly mild 
days, and are also more likely to alight among them. When ducks 



286 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



are approaching the battery, the distance at which they are from 
it is often very delusive, insomuch that the inexperienced sports- 
man will find himself continually rising up to shoot before the fowl 
have got over the decoys, and even long before they have come 
within fair shooting range. This act of "rising up" too soon on 
the part of the shooter is a common fault with the beginner, and is 
fatal to his success in most instances; as the ducks, immediately 
on his appearance, take the alarm, and, making a sudden turn, 
sheer oflf in time to save themselves. 

Ducks should be shot after they have alighted, or just when 
dropping their legs in the act of settling on the water, and not a 
moment sooner. 




DESCRIPTION OF THE MODEL, WITH PARTICULAR DIRECTIONS FOR 
BUILDING A SINK, OR BATTERY. 

A, A. The box in which the shooter lies concealed. 

B. A rim of sheet-lead extending entirely around the box, to prevent the 
ripple from washing in upon the shooter. 

c, c, c. Another rim of sheet-lead, as a still further protection from the 
ripple. 

D, D, D, D. The platform, or false deck surrounding the box, supported by 
carlings. 

E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E. Muslin sheeting, or canvas, stretched over the wooden 
frames running around the platform. 



CANVAS-BACK. 287 

F. A board or frame attached to o by leather hinges. 

G. Another board or frame, secured to the deck by strong iron hinges. 

H, H, H, H, n, H, H, H. Leather hinges, securing the frames (on which the 
canvas is tacked) to the platform or deck. 

I, I. Wrought-iron hinges, constructed with arms, so as to allow the end- 
wing to fold over the side-wings, which are first drawn in upon the deck 
when the battery is to be removed from its position. 

K, K, K, K. Ropes extending from the extremities of the frames, and to 
which the canvas is also attached: this arrangement permits the wings to be 
folded more readily upon the deck. 

L, L. Points at which a rope is passed through the carlings supporting the 
deck, to the middle or bight of which rope the cable of the head-anchor is 
attached. 

M. Point at which the foot-anchor is attached to the carling supporting the 
deck. 

Having given, we trust, a satisfactory explanation of the model, 
we will now proceed to give some special instructions as to the 
building of the battery. The timber most usually employed is 
one-inch white pine, except in the case of the head and foot of 
the box, which should be made of two-inch oak, or some other 
hard and durable wood. The side-boards and bottom of the box 
are attached to the head and foot; and the strength of the box, 
as well as the deck, is in a great measure dependent upon these 
oaken timbers. 

The carlings, or small beams which support the platform or deck, 
are also made of oak, one and a half inch thick, jfive inches wide 
in centre, reduced at their extremities to one and a half inch, and 
secured to the ends and sides of the box by means of screw-bolts 
or large wrought nails. 

The length, width, and depth of the box must of course be 
proportioned to the size of the shooter; for an ordinary -sized 
individual, the following dimensions are amply sufficient : — 

FEET. INCHES. 

Length of box 6 3 

Depth " 1 1^ 

Width " at top 2 

Width " at bottom 1 8 

Length of platform or deck 12 

Width " " 7 

Width or height of rims of sheet-lead 4 



288 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. "" 

FEET. INCHES. 

Width of the frames to which the canvas is 

tacked 2 1 

Width of boards f and g, each 8 

Width of canvas wing at the head 9 

The deck is not a perfect plane, but declines, or rather is graded 
oiF, from the box on every side to the extent saj of one inch. This 
slope or dip of the deck permits the ripple to wash or play over 
the platform the more securely, having a constant tendency to the 
edges instead of the centre, where the box is placed, — the opposite 
of which would be the case if the deck was a dead level. 

The entire edge of the box is slightly elevated above the surface 
of the deck, — say an eighth to a quarter of an inch ; to this edge 
the inner rim of sheet-lead is tacked, extending entirely around 
the box, and, being very pliable, is raised up at an angle of forty- 
five degrees just before launching the battery into its position on 
the shooting-grounds, Avhich precaution will prevent the ripple from 
washing into the box. 

The outer rim of sheet-lead C, C, c, it will be observed, does not 
extend entirely around the deck, that being totally unnecessary, 
from the circumstance of the sea or ripple seldom or never being 
sufiiciently violent to break over the foot or sides so as to endanger 
the comfort of the shooter ; and when such should be the case it 
is time for the ducker to decamp for more secure quarters. 

The head of the battery, it will be seen, has two eight-inch 
boards. The inner one G, as explained above, is attached to the 
deck by stout iron hinges i, i, made with projecting arms, so that 
the whole head-wing may turn in upon the two side-wings, which 
are first folded up when the box is about being removed from its 
position. The other frame F is secured to G by strong leather 
hinges, as well as the balance of the frame to which the canvas is 
tacked. 

The head of the battery is always anchored to the breeze, and, 
as a matter of course, is obliged to sustain the principal shock 
from the wind and waves, and of necessity is made difi'erently as 
well as much stronger than the foot, by the addition of the frame- 



CANVAS-BACK. 289 

work F and a, and which, from their peculiar construction and 
attachment to the solid platform, oppose a pliable but at the 
same time safe resistance to the shock of the waves. 

It is most important to know exactly how to attach the anchors 
to the battery, more particularly the one at the head ; for without 
proper precaution on this point the whole machine would ride 
most unpleasantly to the shooter at the slightest puflF of Old 
Boreas. 

To explain this more fully, we have caused two points or dots 
— L, L — to be placed on the model at the head of the box, to show 
the position of the ends of the rope to Avhich the anchor is 
attached, and have defined above the manner in which the cable 
of the anchor is to be secured to the bight of this rope. 

The advantages of this arrangement should at once be obvious 
to the greenest landsman ; for the head of the platform, being in a 
measure free from restraint, is permitted to rise and fall with the 
swell of the sea, with an easy motion, thus protecting the shooter 
from the disagreeable consequences of the waves breaking in over 
the deck, which would be the inevitable result if the anchor was 
attached to the extreme end of the platform ; as the head of the 
battery, during a heavy blow, would be pulled entirely under 
water, and the whole machine, even during a comparative calm, 
would be subjected to a jerking, disagreeable motion. 

The position of the foot-anchor we have designated by the point 
M, and requires no further explanation. 

At the bottom of the box there is a false bottom, or drainage- 
board, which takes up an inch and a half of the original depth. 
Notwithstanding this additional loss of space, there is still sufficient 
room remaining of the thirteen and a half inches not only to ac- 
commodate, but absolutely to hide below the surface of the plat- 
form, the shooter himself, as well as the sheepskin or buffalo-robe 
upon which he reposes. 

As to the amount of ballast necessary for a battery such as we 

have described, that must be regulated by the state of the wind 

and waves, and other circumstances; it will vary, however, from 

19 



290 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

fifty to one hundred and fifty pounds, increasing from the lesser to 
the greater amount in proportion to the violence of the elements. 
Portions of iron pigs are most convenient for ballast. 

When these batteries are intended to be occasionally towed out 
to their position on the flats, they should be made sharp at the 
stern or bow by the addition of a false cut- water ; otherwise it will 
require heavy pulling to get them along. Most, if not all, of those 
in the hands of the regular bay shooters are made square at the 
ends, and, thus constituted, answer their purposes perfectly well, 
for they move them from point to point only by hauling them on 
board of their large row or sail boats, which convey the whole 
party on these expeditions. 

On looking at the drawing, several decoy-ducks will be noticed 
on the platform. The bodies of these ducks are reduced in bulk, or, 
in other words, are shaved down to one-third of their original thick- 
ness, and permanently fixed to the deck at suitable intervals, with 
movable heads, which are slipped on and off at pleasure by the 
ducker, as he takes his position in the box or retreats from it. 
The number of decoys set out around the battery is not often less 
than two hundred, and most generally two hundred and fifty, or 
even more. Each decoy has a string several feet long attached to 
it from a loop in the breast, and to the end of each string is tied a 
small piece of leaden pipe or other convenient metal, or even a 
fragment of stone sufficiently heavy to anchor the decoy and pre- 
vent its floating ofl" from its position. 

The -arranging or putting out of so great a number of decoys 
around the battery, on a cool, blustering December morning, is no 
child's play, we can assure the uninitiated reader, and is only 
equalled, or rather excelled, in point of discomfiture, by the pro- 
cess of taking them up again in the evening, when it is necessary 
to wind the wet and half-frozen strings around each one to prevent 
entanglement when placed together in the boat.* 

* Decoys made of solid blocks, such as are universally used, can be had of 
duckers on the bay, if ordered during the idle season, at a moderate price, ranging 
from twenty to thirty dollars a hundred 



CANVAS-BACK. 291 

A small pad or pillow for the head to lie on should be placed at 
the top of the box, and in severe weather the shooter will find a 
woollen helmet, vizor, or mask, a very comfortable contrivance to 
protect him from the cold blasts. 

We were formerly under the impression that much danger was 
to be apprehended from the accidental sinking of these batteries ; 
but we are now satisfied, from further observation and the expe- 
: rience of old duckers who have used these machines properly con- 
structed^ (for the early ones were susceptible of much improvement,) 
that our fears are rather gratuitous. 

Mr. W. W. Levy, of Havre de Grace, to whom we are indebted 
for a rough but very complete drawing of a battery from which 
'the above sketch was taken, as well as much other valuable in- 
formation upon this subject, assures us that a box built such as we 
have described could not, by actual experiment, be made to sink 
below the surface, when filled with water, loaded with tivo hundred 
and fifty pounds of pig iron and the addition of two stout men. 

This experiment we cannot but consider a very extreme one, 
and the result most conclusive ; and we shall no longer hesitate in 
recommending our sporting friends to consign themselves, without 
hesitation or fear, to one of these cunning machines whenever a 
fitting opportunity presents itself. 

The ease with which one of these batteries rides on the surface 
of the bay, even during a heavy blow, is very remarkable ; we 
have been quite comfortable in them, when it required two strong 
carsmen to row a light gunning skiff. 




292 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



AMBUSH ON THE FLATS. 

We noticed last season a verj simple but at the same time 
rather ingenious contrivance erected on the flats in Elk River, 
from which to shoot ducks. We have never seen any thing of the 
kind before, but presume something similar may have been adopted 
elscAvhere by others. 

This ambush or blind, as all such contrivances are termed in 
this particular section, was constructed in this wise : — 

Some shooters, taking advantage of low tide, had driven intc 
the soft mud, in the very centre of the widest expanse of feeding 
ground, and in the very path of the ducks as they flew up and 
down the river, four strong posts, forming a square. 

These posts or piles were perforated on their upper portion, 
which extended far above low-water mark, with large holes of 
sufficient capacity to permit the introduction of long hickory pins, 
which passed entirely through and projected several inches from: 
the inside. Upon these pins thus secured was placed a light 
frame, sufficiently strong, however, to bear the weight of the 
shooter, who lay there completely concealed from observation by 
a profusion of cedar brush and eel-grass piled around him. 

The numerous holes in the posts were necessary for the purpos^' 
of raising up and letting down the framework to suit the state 
of the tide, which was very easily accomplished before the sports- 
man took his position. 

This particular kind of blind was especially adapted for this 
river, as the narrow steamboat-channel is marked out in its whole 
course by long poles thrust into the mud on either border, each 
one of which was surmounted by a heavy piece of cedar-brush,' 
with which the ducks soon become familiar while feeding, and^ 
therefore take no precaution to avoid while flying, which also was 
the case with the blind; and most excellent shooting at times 
was thus obtained from this cunningly-devised ambuscade. * 

The flats or feeding-grounds on Elk River are quite extensive, 
and occasionally attract enormous hosts of wild fowl, more espe-. 



CANVAS-BACK. 293 

ci.ally -when they have been greatly harassed by the boats and 
batteries on the Susquehanna and Chesapeake, as both these modes 
.of warfare are strictly interdicted upon this stream. During the 
season of 1850, we had considerable sport shooting over decoys off 
.the points on Elk River, the weather being mild, and the ducks, 
]both canvas-backs and red-heads, being more numerous than we 
had ever before witnessed them on this water. 

STOOLING OFF POINTS. 

Another method of killing ducks by means of decoys is to anchor 
them off a short distance from some one of the many points along 
the bay or river-shores, more particularly on those points in the 
narrows of Spesutia Island. When the canvas-backs are flying 
and the weather is not too severe, this plan affords most excellent 
[Sport, and great numbers may be killed. This kind of shooting 
requires the assistance of a dog ; and none but a Newfoundland or 
other hardy water-spaniel of some good breed will be able to stand 
the work, if the weather is very cold; as the frequent plunging 
into the water chills and stiffens the animal to such an extent that 
he is often barely able to walk or swim.* 

When the weather is very calm and the surface of the river 
remains unruffled by a breeze, although the ducks may be flying, 
they will not dart to decoys, more especially off points, as readily 
as if they had a certain degr.ee of motion imparted to them by the 
gentle ripple of the waters. 

For when perfectly still the decoys, no matter how well made <ir 
proportioned, lose that lifelike appearance which they present when 
bobbing up and down as if in the very act of feeding ; and, con- 
sequently, are wanting in their chief attraction for the ducks that 
may be on the wing in quest of more secure and fruitful feeding- 
places. 



* Decoys made of solid blocks of wood are preferable to those made hollow ; they 
are less expensive and not so easily injured by the shot, and also require far lesa 
gentle handling. From fifty to one hundred are necessary for point-shooting, — the 
more the better. 



294 lewis's amekican spoktsman. 

We have before us a late number of the Spirit of the Times, 
which contains an excellent article on duck-shooting, wherein is 
described a very ingenious plan adopted by the writer for impart- 
ing this particular motion to the decoys on a still day ; and, as the 
expedient is quite novel as well as practicable, we shall transfer 
the description of it in the words of the author to these pages, 
feeling sure that it will prove serviceable to some of our sporting 
friends under like circumstances : — 

" Ducks not decoying well on calm days, of which we had quite 
a number in December, we hit upon a somewhat novel expedient 
to attract their attention to our decoys. A dozen stakes of about 
two feet in length were firmly driven into the soft bed of the river, 
at a distance of some forty yards from the blind, so that at low- 
water their upper ends were quite a foot beneath the surface. 
Through the tops of these stakes, on which we had bored holes of 
an inch in diameter, having rings of stout iron wire inserted in 
them to prevent chafing, were passed strings of the proper length, 
one of the ends of which was carried into the blind, Avhile the others 
were attached to the necks of the decoy-ducks. These latter were 
anchored by heavy anchors at such a distance from the stakes that, 
when pulled upon by the strings, the anchors remaining firm, they 
were suddenly drawn head-foremost beneath the water, represent- 
ing very fairly the diving of the real fowl. The ends of the strings 
within the blind were attached to small sticks, four in number, 
being three to each, and one person could thus manage at the same 
time all or a portion of the decoys. 

"Around these divers, (as we termed them,) which were scattered 
over a considerable extent of water, were set the usual number of 
decoys, taking care to place the latter so as not to interfere with 
the action of the strings of the former. Not being aware of its 
ever having been tried before, we were exceedingly anxious about 
the result of our experiment; and on the first calm day, all being 
prepared, we looked anxiously for the appearance of a flock of 
ducks with which to test its success. A bunch of canvas-backs 
passing down the river soon came in sight, but holding their way 



CANVAS-BACK. 295 

SO far out that we despaired of attracting their notice. When 
directly opposite, however, we commenced vigorously working our 
divers, and, to our surprise and delight, the flock immediately 
turned in, and, passing back and forth two or three times, came 
up most beautifully. 

" This success at once settled the question of the utility of our 
device, and during the whole of this day, on which there was not 
sufficient wind to ruffle the surface of the water, we had excellent 
sport, many fowl passing up and down the river, and almost every 
bunch that were not too far oflF to see our decoys came up fear- 
lessly and without hesitation ; with single ducks, or when only two 
or three were together, we were invariably successful. Day after 
day, the weather being mild and calm for this time of the year, 
we tried it Avith complete success, and to this simple expedient we 
owed decidedly the best portion of our shooting; its excellence 
existing not only with regard to the canvas-back, but also to the 
red-head and scaup-duck. The success with which we met was 
owing partly to the exceedingly natural appearance of the decoys, 
for this number of divers scattered through some seventy or 
eighty gave the semblance of life to the remainder, and, creating 
a ripple on the water, made them show much better ; besides this, 
ducks passing at a distance frequently do not see decoys, and a 
slight motion among the latter is at once sufficient to draw theii 
attention ; this done, their coming up to such well-gotten-up afiairs 
follows almost as a matter of course."* 



HOLES IN THE ICE. 

As the season advances, ducks are frequently obliged to abandon 
their favorite feeding-grounds in the upper bay, owing to the large 
masses of floating ice that are constantly coming down the Susque- 
hanna and the smaller streams they are wont to frequent. The 
canvas-backs are now driven to great extremes to procure food, 

* See Spirit of the Times, February 5, 1853. 



296 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

and are almost constantly on the wing in quest of suitable spots 
to dive down, for the still tender roots of the valisineria. 

At this juncture, a cruel advantage is taken of the half-starved 
condition of the poor canvas-backs to entice them within the reach 
of the murderous guns of those who lie in ambuscade upon the 
shores of the Gunpowder, Bush, Elk, and the many other smaller 
streams which are now frozen over. A large hole of many feet in 
diameter is cut in the ice directly over some choice feeding-shoal, 
suflBciently near, however, to the land to allow of its being raked 
by the guns of those concealed behind a blind erected on the 
shore. Large numbers of wild fowl, more particularly the canvas- 
backs, may be killed in this way, and the shooter can lie still and 
bang away at the ducks all day long, as they will oftentimes con- 
tinue coming and going as fast almost as he can load, provided 
they are driven to the extremity we have mentioned above. These 
seasons of scarcity are not by any means unusual; and a friend 
of the author informs him that he has killed as many as one 
hundred and fifty canvas-backs over one of these feeding-holes in 
one day on the Gunpowder River. 

POINT-SHOOTING. 

Several of the above plans of shooting ducks may be said to be 
illegitimate ways of sporting, although pursued indiscriminately 
by all those of our friends who participate in wild-fowl shooting. 
The really sportsmanlike way of killing canvas-backs, however, is 
for the shooter to station himself on some one of the many points 
or bars along the bay-shore or its tributaries that the ducks fly 
over in their course to and from their feeding-grounds. Much 
depends, in this kind of shooting, upon the disposition of the ele- 
ments; for neither pleasure nor success can be reasonably ex- 
pected if the weather is intensely cold or the wind blowing fresh 
from a quarter that carries the ducks oflF from the point rather 
than on it. 

On the other hand, if the wind and weather prove favorable 
and the ducks are flying briskly, there is not a more delightful way 



CANVAS-BACK. 297 

of enjoying one's self than in point-shooting. Great skill and 
judgment are requisite to strike the ducks ; and when thus sud- 
denly stopped in their rapid course, they present a beautiful sight 
as they come tumbling down with a heavy plash from a height of 
one, two, or even three, hundred feet. 

It is this kind of duck-shooting that either displays the igno- 
rance or dexterity of the sportsman ; for, without long practice 
in this particular branch, the best general shooter in the country 
would appear to little advantage alongside even of an indifferent 
ducker. 

The principal sites on the Chesapeake Bay where sportsmen 
resort for this kind of pastime are the points immediately about 
Havre de Grace, the Narrows of Spesutia, a few miles farther 
down, Taylor's Island, Abbey Island, Legoe's Point, Marshy Point, 
Bengie's Point, Robbins's and Ricket's Point, Maxwell's Point, 
and Carrol's Island. There are also some good points about Elk 
and Northeast Rivers, and a few on the western shore.* 

Carrol's Island has long been in possession of a club of sports- 
men, who regularly resort to this favorite spot during the ducking 
season, and seldom return home without being heavily laden with 
the rich spoils of their skill. Not only canvas-backs, but the 
larger species of wild fowl, are killed at Carrol's Island. Numbers 
of swans and geese are seen flying about these points; and the 
ambitious sportsman will often have an opportunity to bring down 
with his steady hand the most majestic as well as the most beautiful 
of all the feathered race. If any of our readers should feel this 



* There is a considerable difference between bar-shooting ^nA point- shooting. The 
latter we have already described ; and, to make the former intelligible to our read- 
ers, we must premise our remarks by stating that, along the shores of the Chesa- 
peake, the land stretching out into the bay to form these shooting-points is often a 
mere narrow peninsula, termed a bar, over which the ducks are constantly passing 
and repassing to their feeding-grounds, without going out of their usual course to 
weather the points, as they would do under ordinary circumstances ; most of the 
shooting, therefore, is perpendicular, and consequently far more difficult than 
when shooting dii-ectly off the point. Maxwell's Point is thus formed by a very 
narrow strip of land. The shooting- points on the Elk River are Locust Point, 
Plumb Point, Little and Big Welsh. Nearly all these shooting-points are rented out. 



298 lewis's AMERICAN SPOKTSMAN. 



laudable ambition — and where is the tjro who will not? — we trust 
that he may prove more successful than we did at our dehut upon 
swan-shooting; having, much to our mortification, fii-ed both bar- 
rels of a heavy duck-gun from behind an ambush into a noble flock 
of sixteen swans quietly feeding on the water within sixty yards 
of us, without even as much as rumpling a single feather of their 
plumage. But then there was a reason why, as all sportsmen have 
good excuses for their bad shooting ; at all events, they strive very 
hard to concoct plausible ones, by which to gull their companions. 
But in this case, unfortunately for our credit as a marksman, the 
gun was neither strange, bad, nor overloaded ; neither did it snap, 
hang fire, overshoot nor undershoot its mark; but the plain and 
simple fact is — shall we have recourse to so hackneyed a plea ? — to 
cut the matter short and solve the mystery, we had no number B B 
shot in the barrels, one of our compai:^^ons having drawn the charge 
the night before, by way of affording himself some amusement at 
our expense on the following day. 

Jokers, however, often get hurt with the recoil of their own 
weapons ; and so it was in this case. As we were entirely alone, 
and separated from the projector of this trick when we fired at the 
swans, we suspected something wrong, and did not relate the cir- 
cumstance till after he had confessed drawing the load and ex- 
pressed a desire to know the result of our first two shots ; and then, 
greatly to his chagrin, he learned that we might have had added 
to our lot of ducks several noble cygnets, if he had restrained 
his silly propensity to make us a laughing-stock for the company. 
Such an opportunity to distinguish ourself in the field of wild-fowl 
shooting we never again expect to meet with, as we are satisfied 
that we should have killed, on this occasion, not less than six 
swans, and perhaps more ; for they were all huddled together in 
such a manner, when we drew on them, that hardly one could have 
escaped from the effects of our fire,* 

* We do not mean to assert that we might have bagged the whole sixteen by one 
" coup de fusil," or even with Uco ; but we do say, most positively, that scarcely one 
could have gotten off without carrying a few pellets of shot with him. 



n 



CANVAS-BACK. 299 

ART OF SHOOTING DUCKS. 

We have now nearly drawn to a close the whole subject of wild- 
fowl shooting ; but little remains to say further, except, perhaps, 
an effort on our part to instruct beginners in the art of shooting 
ducks, both on the wing and water. Without some instructions on 
this head, and a great deal of practice besides, we can assure the 
most determined tyro that he would make but a poor show of 
shooting among the skilful duckers of the Chesapeake. He migbt, 
however, stand an equal chance with the oldest of them, provided 
he could ever be so fortunate as to meet Avith canvas-backs in the 
same predicament that a correspondent of the Spirit states that 
some punters found a flock of black and gray ducks on the ice of 
Little Creek, in Canada ; that is, too fat to fly, and wanting in 
energy sufficient to get out of the way when pursued. 

The particulars of this sporting incident being so very curious 
and unique, we think it worth while to transfer to our pages the 
extract of the letter containing the details, leaving it for naturalists 
and sportsmen to explain the phenomenon as they best can. As 
for ourselves, we do not feel inclined to believe that ducks could 
become too fat to fly, in the month of December, in the bleak 
regions of Canada, and doubt very much whether such an occur- 
rence could be so general under any circumstances, no matter how 
plenty the most nutritious food might be. Might not the singular 
conduct of these fowl be attributed rather to sickness produced by 
some unnatural cause, or perhaps the eating of some deleterious 
substance forced upon them by the severity of the weather ? How- 
ever, here is the extract ; we give it as we find it : — 

"By-the-by, talking of cold, I have a most extraordinary cir- 
cumstance to tell you in the sporting way. Two punters last week 
went to the Long Island marsh, which has been for some time 
frozen up, for the purpose of trapping. Walking along the ice near 
the creek, — I think called Little Creek, — they saw a great numbei 
of ducks on the ice, and crawled up very cautiously to get a shot. 
They were, however, much surprised, on coming near them, to find 



800 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

that they did not appear at all alarmed, and concluded that they 
must be frozen, or something of the sort; they consequently did 
not fire, but continued to approach until they caught one. Upon 
this the others scattei'ed, but did not attempt to fly ; and a chase 
ensued, which ended in the capture of no less than seventy-six, all 
black and gray ducks, and one wild goose. The next day they 
came across some more in the same way, and took thirty -four : in 
all, one hundred and eleven. Did you ever see or hear the like of 
that ? — a novel sort of duck-hunting ! The birds were actually so 
fat that the punters attribute their success in taking them to their 
inability to rise in consequence." 

Canvas-backs fly with great strength and velocity, and require a 
heavy blow to bring them down ; if winged only, it is almost use- 
less to pursue them either with a dog or in a boat, as they dive 
with so much celerity, and swim such great distances under water, 
that it is next to an impossibility to overtake them, or even to 
shoot them if within gunshot, as they only come to the top of 
the water for an instant, and duck down again before a snap-shot 
could get a range on them even with a light partridge-gun, let 
alone a heavy duck-gun. Dogs accustomed to duck-shooting soon 
learn this fact, as before stated, and will not be induced to follow 
after a wounded canvas-back if able to dive. The shooter will 
therefore see at once the importance of striking canvas-backs in a 
vital spot. The head and neck are the portions we should always 
endeavor to hit, as a single pellet of shot lodged in these portions 
of the body will do as much execution as a half-dozen imbedded in 
the breast or other fleshy parts. To accomplish this, many cir- 
cumstances must be taken into consideration, and must be run over 
in one's mind at a moment when there is not a second to ponder 
on the subject. For example, we should be able to tell at a glance 
the probable distance the ducks are from us, their height, the velo- 
city with which they are flying, the course they are pursuing, &c. 
&c. ; for without a just appreciation of all these particulars we 
shall be very apt to shoot over them, under them, before them, or 
behind them. This kind of rapid mental calculation, though very 



CANVAS-BACK. 301 

troublesome at first, •will soon become a kind of intuitive habit by 
practice, and the gun will be found almost of itself to take the 
proper direction, seemingly unguided by any special Avill of the 
shooter. 



"S**?--, 




FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. 

Never shoot at ducks as they are coming towards you; wait till 
they are on a line with your person, or till they have passed you, 
as it is almost impossible for shot to penetrate through the thick 
plumage of a duck when presented in this position. As the ducks 
are approaching, raise your gun, take sight on them, and follow 
the foremost with the eye and weapon until they come immedi- 
ately overhead, or rather in a line parallel with your body; then 
slide the gun with a quick motion a short distance in front of 
the flying column, being careful, however, to preserve its range 
directly in their course, and fire without stopping the motion of 
the arm. 

The distance which the gun is thus thrown before the ducks de- 
pends entirely upon their probable distance from the shooter, the 
velocity with which they are flying, and the other points already 
alluded to above, all of which must be ascertained in a moment of 
time, when the eye is resting upon the birds along the barrel of 
the gun. One or two feet will nearly always be necessary to 
insure success in bringing down canvas-backs, and sometimes even 
as much as ten feet is not too far in advance, if the wind is 
blowing fresh and the ducks travelling before it, as they most fre- 
quently do. It should always be borne in mind that most ducks 



302 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

fly with amazing velocity ; and the great error committed by all 
beginners, and even by experienced shooters, is that they deliver 
their shot behind the bird. The range of the sight should be 
rather above than below the ducks, to prevent the pellets from 
falling too low before reaching their proper destination. The 
various points on the narrows of Spesutia Island are perhaps the 
most frequented of all localities in the upper bay for duck-shooting ; 
and it is seldom that the sportsman will be disappointed in visiting 
these grounds, as the ducks are passing up and down these waters 
nearly all day, but more particularly in the morning and afternoon. 
Canvas-backs commence flying very early, and it is necessary for 
the sportsman to be up and on the ground betimes, as he will have 
an opportunity of trying his skill as soon as it shall be light 
enough to see the ducks which he will hear moving over his head in 
uninterrupted numbers for an hour before daybreak. The morn- 
ing flights continue an hour or two after dawn, although, as before 
stated, many ducks keep in motion all day long; but the greater 
portion of them are busily engaged feeding after this time, and, if 
flying, endeavor to avoid these exposed points, where they have 
every reason to apprehend danger. Canvas-backs, in fact, are 
disposed to keep clear of the shores at all times ; but when impelled 
by a strong breeze that sets them towards these points, they are 
not easily turned from their course, it not being often necessary to 
employ any kind of device to screen the sportsman from observa- 
tion, provided he remain motionless until the ducks have come suffi- 
ciently near to be in range of the gun. It is better that the dress 
should not be too conspicuous: a drab overcoat and cap of the 
same color is the most suitable for concealment; and, if possible, 
station yourself against a bush, tree, or some dark object, if there 
are no blinds erected. 

When the canvas-backs are flying fast and in great numbers, an 
eager sportsman had better take two guns with him, and have an 
assistant to load while he fires ; and in this way he will get double 
the number of shots, without the hurry and excitement of charging 
fast. 



CANVAS-BAC-K. 303 

Captain Hawker very justly remarks: — "Never look up while 
loading ; you can do no good by it, and you will only put yourself 
in a flurry, and perhaps break your ramrod. If your man, (assist- 
ant,) knowing you have no gun loaded, says, 'Look out, sir !' why 
— I had almost said — knock him down." 

TO SHOOT DUCKS SITTING. 

Having learned the art of shooting flying, the tyro may feel 
disposed to treat with contempt any endeavor on our part to teach 
him so simple a thing as to shoot wild fowl while sitting on the 
water, within, we will say, fifty or a hundred yards of our ambush. 
Nevertheless, we can assure him that it is not such an easy matter 
as he supposes, and he will upon trial soon find to his satisfaction 
what we say to be true ; and, without paying proper regard to our 
instructions on this point, he will often have the mortification of 
seeing the ducks escape from his fire, w^hen he ought by due 
management to have killed at least a dozen or more. It seems to 
be a very simple thing to point the gun in a direct range of a flock 
of ducks, and cut a complete lane, as it were, through their ranks 
with a heavy charge of powder and shot; but such, unfortunately 
for the tyro, is not the case. The young sportsman generally 
commits one of two errors in shooting wild fowl ; that is, he either 
undershoots or overshoots the game, according to the distance they 
are from him. If within thirty, forty, or fifty, or even seventy 
yards, the shot almost invariably passes over the ducks ; if beyond 
this distance, the load most frequently falls far short of the in- 
tended mark. 

When the shot is first impelled from the mouth of a large duck- 
gun held on a level, it has an upward tendency from a point-blank 
range, which it preserves for an indefinite distance, according to 
the quantity of powder used and the force with which the weapon 
shoots. When it has reached a certain distance it begins to lose 
the upward impetus, and, therefore, must fall sooner or later 
before losing entirely its projectile force. Any one can easily 
ascertain this fact by trying the experiment on the water, if not 



804 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

convinced of it by previous observation. This being the case, tlie 
force of our assertion will be readily seen ; that is, when the ducks 
are but a short distance off, the load will most likely pass over the 
spot within the point-blank range of the gun and be distributed 
some distance beyond; while, on the other hand, the ducks being 
much farther off, the shot will most likely fall short of their in- 
tended destination, or, in other words, drop within the point-blank 
range of the eye. 

When the ducks are a short distance from our station, the 
foremost ones, if there be many, should be in full relief over the 
sight of the gun ; and then, most probably, if shooting on a level, 
as is most frequently the case on the shores where wild fowl are 
pursued, the leader of the troop which we select for our guide will 
escape from the dire effects of our volley, that shall spread death 
and destruction in his rear. 

If, on the contrary, the ducks are a long distance off, be sure 
that the foremost ducks are entirely under the range of the barrels, 
and then we shall most likely rake the front and middle columns, 
if not sweep the whole mass. For other information regarding 
shooting ducks, we refer to our chapter on wild-fowl shooting in 
general, and beg to close the present subject, as some one has 
done before us, with the spirited lines of Wilson, descriptive of 
the shooting of these celebrated birds. 



" Slow round an opening point we softly steal, 
Where four large ducks in playful circles wheel. 
The far-famed canvas-backs at once we know, 
Their broad, flat bodies wrapped in pencilled snow ; 
The burnished chestnut o'er their necks that shone. 
Spread deepening round each breast a sable zone. 
Wary they gaze ; our boat in silence glides ; 
The slow-moved paddles steal along the sides ; 
Quick-flashing thunders roar along the flood, 
And three lie prostrate, vomiting their blood! 
The fourth aloft on whistling pinions soared; 
One fatal glance the fiery thunders poured ; 
Prone drops the bird amid the dashing waves. 
And the clear stream his glossy plumage laves." 



CANVAS-BACK. 305 



THE PRESENT AND FUTURE NUMBERS OF DUCKS UPON CHESA- 
PEAKE BAY. 

" Still files of ducks in streaming thousands pom* ; 
At every bend their rising torrents roar." 

Notwithstanding tlie immense multitude of canvas-backs wliicli 
annually resort to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, they are 
now said to be far less numerous than they were some years ago. 
Of this fact we are not able to judge, but feel satisfied that th9 
species, although killed in numbers still greater than they have 
been heretofore, can never become extinct, as some persons appre- 
hend. The greatest safeguard to the continuation of the whole 
duck race is the circumstance of their breeding in regions so 
remote. They are besides so prolific, that every succeeding au- 
tumn will bring down to their former haunts a wonderful increase 
to the great numbers of those that necessarily escape the general 
massacre. The large and increasing demand, however, for ducks 
from the Chesapeake in particular, and the ingenious methods 
resorted to to kill them, will no doubt eventually drive the larger 
portion of the canvas-backs from their favorite feeding-grounds, 
and thus cause them to become more widely dispersed over the 
whole country. The comparative scarcity of them on these waters 
will, perhaps, induce the erroneous belief of their speedy extinction ; 
but such a thing we deem impossible, owing, as already stated, to 
the habits of the whole duck tribe during the period of incubation. 
During the season of 1850 and 1851, canvas-backs were very 
plenty, and, owing to the unusual mildness of the Aveather and 
the consequent increased slaughter of them from the surface-boats, 
they were sold at unprecedented low prices in our markets. 

The early portion of the season of 1854 and 1855 was equally 
prolific of the feathered race, insomuch that greater slaughter of 
wild fowl was made on the flats of the Chesapeake and its numerous 
tributaries than in any previous year. No less than three thou- 
sand head of various kinds of ducks were killed in the vicinity of 

Havre de Grace alone on the first day which the duckers in a body 

20 



B06 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



agreed to make use of their batteries. The temperature during 
the months of October and November of the following season of 
1855 and 1856 being uncommonly moderate, but few canvas-backs, 
comparatively speaking, made their appearance on the Chesapeake 
before December. The weather soon after becoming intensely cold, 
and continuing so for several weeks, the destruction of ducks on 
those far-famed feeding-grounds was necessarily quite limited in 
comparison with the preceding years, and all descriptions of wild 
fowl sold in our markets at very high prices. 





CHAPTER XXIX. 

DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF DUCKS. 
RED-HEADED DUCK, OR RED-HEAD. ANAS FERINA. 

"Beyond a point, just opening to the view, 
A fleet of ducks collect their scattered crew ; 
Part, soon alarmed, with sudden splattering, soar, 
The rest, remaining, seek the farther shore." 



HABITS, DESCRIPTION, ETC. 

HE red-head, second alone in delicacy of 

flavor to the canvas-back, will now claim 

our attention. It frequents very much 

the same grounds with the preceding 

variety, although not so exclusively 

wedded to the waters of the Chesapeake 

but that it can be found in other 

localities in considerable profusion, even 

during the luxuriance of the valisineria. The red-head, like the 

poachard, or bald-pate, feeds on the blades of the water-celery, 

307 




308 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

when ft; cannot filch the tender roots from the canvas-backs. It 
is often shot in the Delaware, Hudson, and other rivers, and visits 
the streams of the South as the winter progresses. The flesh of 
these fowls is so near akin to that of the canvas-backs, that the 
most delicate palate can hardly distinguish one from the other ; and 
we have seen many amusing mistakes made by persons professing 
to be able to tell one duck from the other when served for the 
table. 

"The red-head is twenty inches in length and two feet six 
inches in extent ; bill dark slate, sometimes black, two inches 
long, and seven-eighths of an inch thick at the base, furnished 
with a large broad nail at the extremity ; irides flame-colored : 
plumage of the head long, velvety and inflated, running high 
above the base of the bill; head, and about two inches of the 
neck, deep glossy reddish-chestnut ; rest of the neck and uppei 
part of the breast black, spreading round to the back ; belly white, 
becoming dusky towards the vent by closely-marked undulating 
lines of black ; back and scapulars bluish-white, rendered gray by 
numerous transverse waving lines of black ; lesser wing-coverts 
brownish-ash ; wing-quills very pale slate, dusky at the tips ; lower 
part of the back and sides under the wings brownish-black, crossed 
with regular zigzag lines of whitish ; vent, rump, and tail-coverts, 
black ; legs and feet dark ash." The female has the upper part 
of the head dusky brown, and the plumage generally is not so 
bright as that of the male. 

The red-head weighs from a pound and a half to two pounds. 

This duck resembles very closely the poachard, red-headed 
widgeon, or dun-bird, of England, and is considered by many as 
the same identical bird. The description of the one corresponds 
very much with that of the other, as will be seen by the following, 
taken from Daniel. " The poachard is about the size of a widgeon, 
weighs one pound twelve ounces ; its length is nineteen inches ; 
breadth two feet and a half; the bill is broader than the widgeon's, 
of a deep lead-color, with a black tip ; irides orange ; the head 
and neck deep chestnut ; the lower part of the neck and breast. 



RED-HEADED DUCK, OR RED-HEAD. 309 

and upper part of the back, dusky black ; scapulars and Avlng- 
coverts nearest the body of a grayish white, elegantly marked 
with narroAV lines of black ; the exterior wing-coverts and quills 
dusky brown ; the belly ash-colored and brown ; the tail consists 
of twelve short feathers of a deep gray ; the legs lead-colored. 
The female has the head of a pale reddish-brown," kc. 

From the above description, and the investigations of naturalists, 
we are led to suppose that these two birds are identical ; and there- 
fore it will not perhaps be deemed irrelevant to the subject to in- 
troduce a short histoi-y of the plan pursued in England for the 
capture of this fowl upon an extensive scale : — 

"These birds (poachards) are eagerly sought by the London 
poulterers, under the name of dun-birds, as they are deemed ex- 
cellent eating. The greater part of what appear in the markets are 
caught in decoys; but the construction and mode of working is 
perfectly distinct from that wherein the other wild foAvl are taken. 
A decoy for dun-birds is called a flight-pond, and has nets fastened 
to tall stout poles twenty-eight or thirty feet long ; at the bottom 
of each pole is a box fixed, filled with heavy stones, sufficient to 
elevate the poles and nets the instant an iron pin is withdrawn, 
which retains the nets and poles flat upon the reeds, small willow 
boughs, or furze ; within the nets are small pens made of reeds, 
about three feet high, for the reception of the birds that strike 
against the net and fall down ; and such is the form and shortness 
of wing in the poachard, that they cannot ascend again from their 
little enclosures if they would; besides, the numbers which are 
usually knocked into these pens preclude all chance of escape 
from them by the wing. A decoy-man will sometimes allow the 
haunt of dun-birds to be so great that the whole surface of the 
pond shall be covered with them previous to his attempting to take 
one. Upon such occasions, he bespeaks all the assistants he can 
get, to complete the slaughter by breaking their necks. When all 
is ready, the dun-birds are roused from the pond ; and, as all wild 
fowl rise against the wind, the poles in that quarter are unpinned, 
and fly up with the nets at the instant the dun-birds begin to leave 



310 



LEWIS S AMEKICAN SPORTSMAN. 



the surface of the water, so as to meet them in their first ascent, 
and are thus beat down by hundreds. At the pond of Mr. Burton, 
at Goldanger, in Essex, as many poachards have been taken at one 
drop as filled a wagon, so as to require four stout horses to carry 
them away ; and the lower birds in the pens have been known to 
be killed and pressed entirely flat from the numbers of their com- 
panions heaped above them by the fatal stoppage of the poles and 
nets." 





ANAS AMERICANA. AMERICAN WIDGEON, OR BALD-PATE. 





HIS fowl, like the red-head, during its 

sojourn on the Chesapeake and Potomac, 

5 is the constant companion of the canvas- 

fS back, upon whose superior skill in diving 

it depends for a supply of the tender root 

of the valisineria, which it filches from 

these ducks as soon as they come to the 

top of the water with it in their mouths. 

The bald-pates, as these ducks are most commonly called on the 

Chesapeake, are not far inferior in flavor to the canvas-back, and 

when in good order it is not easy to distinguish them from the 

above duck. Those killed on other streams, though excellent 

eating, will not compare with those that feed on the flats of the 

Chesapeake. Widgeons are extensively scattered throughout the 

wriole of our Atlantic States, and are abundant in some of the 

West India islands ; they are well known in the Delaware Bay. 

311 



312 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"The -wiclgeGn, or bald-pate, measures twenty-two inches in 
length and thirty inches in extent ; the bill is of a slate-color ; the 
nail black; the front and crown cream-colored, sometimes nearly 
white, the feathers inflated; from the eye backwards to the middle 
of the neck behind extends a band of deep, glossy green, gold, and 
purple; throat, chin, and sides of the neck before, as far as the 
green extends, dull yellowish-white, thickly speckled with black; 
breast and hind-part of the neck hoary bay, running in under the 
wings, where it is crossed with fine waving lines of black ; whole 
belly white; vent black; back and scapulars black, thickly and 
beautifully crossed with undulating lines of vinous bay; lower part 
of the back more dusky; tail-coverts long, pointed, whitish, crossed 
as the back ; tail pointed, brownish ash ; the two middle feathers 
an inch longer than the rest, and tapering ; shoulder of the wing 
brownish ash ; wing-coverts, immediately below, white, forming a 
large spot ; primaries brownish ash ; middle secondaries black, 
glossed with green, forming the speculum; tertials black, edged 
with white, between which and the beauty-spot several of the 
secondaries are white. 

"The female has the whole head and neck yellowish-white, 
thickly speckled with black, very little rufous on the breast; the 
back is dark brown. The young males, as usual, very much like 
the females during the first season, and do not receive their 'full 
plumage until the second year. They are also subject to a regular 
change every spring and autumn." 

This fowl, it will be seen, resembles the English widgeon, 
whewer, or whim, both in appearance and habits. The American 
variety is, perhaps, a little heavier, and the plumage richer. 
Widgeons do not feed much during the day, but remain listlessly 
on the sand-flats or hidden among the herbage of the marshes ; but 
as soon as night comes they are in motion, and may be heard repair- 
ing in considerable numbers to the various feeding-grounds which 
they are wont to frequent. These fowl are very abundant on the 



AMERICAN WIDGEON, OR BALD-PATE. 313 

coasts of Great Britain, and the numbers slaughtered in the course 
of a season by the sportsmen and fowlers are enormous. They are 
much esteemed in London, and eagerly sought after by the poul- 
terers as a ready article of sale. They are pursued by the English 
punters almost entirely by night ; they lie in wait for them in those 
situations which they are most likely to visit or pass over in their 
course to the feeding-grounds. The best weather for this sport is 
a clear, windy, half moonlight night, provided the wind does not 
blow from you, as the ducks may smell you : in fact, it is always 
necessary to get to the leeward of wild fowl of all kinds, as their 
power of scenting is very great. The English variety is easily 
"domesticated in places where there is plenty of water, and are 
much admired for their beauty, sprightly look, and frolicsome 
manners." The same is said of the American widgeon. 

Bald-pates can be decoyed within gunshot by imitating their 
peculiar shrill note ; are not apt to dart at decoys off points, ex- 
cept in foggy weather. They are migratory, and breed in the 
North, on the coast of Hudson's Bay; they visit the ricefields of 
the South during the winter in considerable numbers, and are much 
esteemed by the planters as an article of food. 

For fui'ther information on the subject of widgeon, we beg to 
refer the reader to Colonel Hawker, the Magnus Apollo of wild- 
fowl shooting, as he has very justly been styled. 





ANAS BOSCHAS. MALLARD, OR WILD DRAKE. 




ALLARDS are widely disseminated over 
almost every habitable portion of the globe, 
and their flesh is alike esteemed in all 
parts ; and wherever they make their ap- 
pearance, sportsmen resort to all kinds of 
expedients to secure them. At a glance, 
it will be seen that the wild drake is the 
original stock from which is sprung the 
puddle-duck of our barnyards, as they differ but little in plumage 
and general form. The wild bird, however, is a much more noble- 
looking fowl than those of the same race that have been enslaved 
by man; and instead of the silly, discordant quack! quack! 
quack! lazy waddle, inactive life, and singular propensity for 
dabbling in the filthy oozes of the stable-yard, common to our do- 
mestic duck, they pursue a cunning, silent, active, and free life. 
314 



MALLARD, OR WILD DRAKE. 315 



DESCRIPTION. 

*' The mallard, or common wild drake, is so universally known aa 
scarcely to require a description. It measures twenty-four inches 
in length by three feet in extent, and weighs upAvards of two 
pounds and a half; the bill is greenish yellow; irides hazel; head, 
and part of the neck, deep, glossy, changeable green, ending in a 
narrow collar of white; the rest of the neck and breast are of a 
dark purplish chestnut; lesser wing-coverts brown-ash; greater 
crossed near the extremities with a band of white, and tipped with 
another of deep velvety black ; below this lies the speculum or 
beauty-spot, of a rich and splendid light purple, with green and 
violet reflections, bounded on every side with black; quills pale 
browni£h-ash ; back brown, skirted with paler; scapulars whitish, 
crossed with fine undulating lines of black ; rump and tail-coverts 
black, glossed with green; tertials very broad, and pointed at the 
ends; tail, consisting of eighteen feathers, whitish, centred with 
brown-ash, the four middle ones excepted, which are narrow, black, 
glossed with violet, remarkably concave, and curled upwards to a 
complete circle ; belly and sides a fine gray, crossed by an infinite 
number of fine, waving lines, stronger and more deeply marked as 
they approach the vent; legs and feet orange-red. 

" The female has the plumage of the upper parts dark brown, 
broadly bordered with brownish yellow, and the lower parts yel- 
low ochre, spotted and streaked with deep brown ; the chin and 
throat, for about two inches, plain yellowish-white ; wings, bill, 
and legs, nearly as in the male. 

" The windpipe of the male has a bony labyrinth, or bladder-like 
knob, puffing out from the left side. The intestines measure six 
feet, and are as wide as those of the canvas-back. The windpipe 
is of uniform diameter until it enters the labyrinth." 

Like most wild fowl, the mallard breeds in the Far North, 
and makes its appearance in the autumn among the first of our 
ducks. It is common throughout all our rivers and fresh-water 
lakes, but is seldom met Avith on the sea-coast. As the winter 



31(> lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

progresses, large numbers continue South, and take up their abode 
among the ricefields of the Carolinas, where they become very fat 
and particularly palatable. Their flesh, at all times when the wea- 
ther is not very severe, is good, as they feed on vegetable matter 
in preference to any other kind of food, and only partake of fish 
when they cannot obtain any thing else. 

Mallards are easily brought within gunshot by means of decoys, 
used in the way already described under the head of canvas-backs. 
They are numerous at times on the Delaware, and numbers are 
killed by shooters hiding themselves in boats and the reeds within 
range of their stool-ducks, which are set out on the edge of the 
reeds. They are very fond of the seeds of the wild oats that 
flourish so profusely on the flats of the Delaware, and their flesh 
soon becomes delicate and juicy. 

In England and on the Continent many singular contrivances 
have been invented to entrap these birds ; and so successful are the 
fowlers now in this lucrative business that many hundreds are 
often taken at one draw of the net. 

The most destructive way of trapping mallards is the plan 
adopted on the decoy-ponds of England and France, a full account 
of which may be found in Bewick's British Birds. 





ANAS DISCORS. BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 




LUE-WINGED TEAL are among the 

first of the water-fowl that visit the 

shores of the Delaware and Chesapeake 

from the far regions of the North. They 

arrive among us in September, and 

remain feeding along the fresh-water 

shores and mud-flats until driven farther 

south bj the chilling frosts of these 

regions, as they are a very tender bird, 

and spend the most of their time in parts where the weather is 

mild. This little duck appears to be much less cunning than most 

other varieties of wild fowl, as it is not difficult to approach in a 

boat or under cover of any simple device. 

The shooters on the Delaware kill great numbers from the reeds, 

over stool-ducks set out on the mud ; they stool without difficulty, 

and drop down among the decoys and go to eating as if they were 

surrounded by busy companions like themselves. 

They stool better if the decoys are set in the mud than if in 

the water, and in this respect diflfer from every other duck. 

317 



318 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Thej are fond of the seeds of the wild oats, and become very 
fat after feeding on them for a short time. In the South they 
also become very fat, and are considered most excellent eating ; 
great numbers are shot as well as caught on the ricefields in traps 
set by the negroes. 

The markets of Philadelphia abound with these ducks, which are 
sold for a mere trifle. They are considered best by epicures when 
split open and broiled, with a dressing of butter: we prefer them 
in this way to all other modes of cooking. 

Blue-winged teal fly with great rapidity and considerable noise ; 
they drop down suddenly among the reeds, much like a wood- 
cock. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"This species measures about fourteen inches in length and 
twenty-two inches in extent; the bill is long in proportion, and 
of a dark, dusky slate; the front and upper part of the head are 
black ; from the eye to the chin is a large crescent of white ; the 
rest of the head and half the neck are of a dark slate, richly 
glossed with green and violet ; remainder of the neck and breast 
is black or dusky, thickly marked with semicircles of brownish 
white, elegantly intersected with each other; belly pale brown, 
barred with dusky in narrow lines ; sides and vent the same tint, 
spotted with oval marks of dusky ; flanks elegantly waved with 
large semicircles of pale brown ; sides of the vent pure white, un- 
der the tail-coverts black ; back deep brownish-black, each feather 
waved with large semi-ovals of brownish white ; lesser wing-covert 
a bright light-blue; primaries dusky brown; secondaries black; 
speculum, or beauty-spot, rich green ; tertials edged with black or 
light-blue, and streaked down their middle with white; the tail, 
which is pointed, extends two inches beyond the wings ; legs and 
feet yellow, the latter very small ; the two crescents of white before 
the eyes meet on the throat. 

" The female differs in having the head and neck of a dull dusky 
slate, instead of the rich violet of the male ; the hind-head is also 



GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 



319 



whitish ; the savings on the back and lower parts more indistinct ; 
wing nearly the same in both." 

ANAS CRECCA. GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 

This variety is a little larger than the preceding, and resembles 
more closely the English teal — is, in fact, considered by naturalists 
as the same duck. Its habits and disposition are similar to those 
of the blue-winged, and its flesh of like quality. 





ANAS ALBEOLA. BUFFEL-HEADED DUCK, OR BUTTER-BALL. 



HIS little duck is more commonly known 
as the butter-box, or butter-ball, from the 
circumstance of its fat, plump little body. 
It is one of the very first ducks that comes 
from the North. Its flesh is rather fishy 
at times ; but we have shot them on the 
, -M^ li&fe, Chesapeake and Delaware of very good 
rU^^^ flavor. It breeds in the North, flies with 



great velocity, and dives with considerable 
facility ; and, when on the wing, utters a 
quick, guttural note — quack ! quack ! quack ! 




DESCRIPTION. 

" The bulFel-headed duck, or rather, as it has originally been, 

the bufialo-headed duck, from the disproportionate size of its head, 

is fourteen inches long and twenty-three inches in extent ; the bill 

is short, and of a light blue or leaden color ; the plumage of the 

head and half of the neck is thick, long, and velvety, projecting 
320 



BUFFEL- HEADED DUCK, OR BUTTER-BALL. 



321 



greatly over the lower part of the neck ; this plumage on the fore- 
head and nape is rich glossy green, changing into a shining purple 
on the crown and sides of the neck ; from the eyes backward passes 
a broad band of pure white ; iris of the eye dark ; back, wings, 
and part of the scapulars, black ; rest of the scapulars, lateral band 
along the wing, and whole breast, snowy white ; belly, A'^ent, and 
tail-covcrts, dusky white ; tail pointed, and of a hoary color. 

"The female is considerably less than the male, and entirely 
destitute of the tumid plumage of the head : the head, neck, and 
upper parts of the body and wings are sooty black, darkest on the 
crown ; sides of the head marked with a small oblong spot of 
white ; bill dusky ; lower part of the neck ash, tipped with white ; 
belly dull white ; vent cinereous ; outer edges of six of the secon- 
daries and their incumbent coverts white, except the tips of the 
latter, which are black ; legs and feet a livid blue ; tail hoary 
brown." 




21 




ANAS OBSCURA. DUSKY DUCK, OR BLACK DUCK. 




USKY or black ducks are known to all 
our sea-shore shooters, and innumerable 
quantities are brought to the Philadelphia 
markets. They meet with ready sale, 
although their flesh is far inferior to that of 
many other varieties of wild fowl. They 
are better knoAvn as the black duck, and are 
shot on the salt marshes of the Delaware. 
They are very wary, and will not stool. 
They feed on the small bivalves that are so abundant in these 
waters, as also along the shores of the creeks and inlets of the Mid- 
dle States. Black ducks swim and fly with great velocity: their 
notes resemble those of the mallard, but their flesh is much inferior. 
As before stated, wild fowl rise almost universally against the 
wind ; black ducks, however, are an exception to this general rule, 
as they spring indifferently either with or against the wind. 

Numbers of black ducks are killed by the gunners lying in wait 
for them in the route of their return from the sea to the marshes 

to feed after night. This kind of shooting is termed ^'dusking,'* 
322 

\ 



DUSKY DUCK, OR BLACK-DUCK. 323 

and of course can only be practised with much success on a moon- 
light night. 

When the weather is not severe and the ducks are plenty, 
''^dusking'' is an agreeable pastime. Black ducks are very wary 
and sagacious; and it is necessary to hold the most profound 
silence when dusking, as they change their course or tower high 
at the slightest noise. 



DESCRIPTION. 

" The dusky or black duck is two feet in length and three feet 
two inches in extent; the bill is of a dark greenish-ash, formed 
very much like the mallard, and nearly of the same length ; irides 
dark ; upper part of the head deep dusky-brown, intermixed on 
the forepart with some small streaks of drab ; rest of the head and 
greater part of the neck pale yellow-ochre, thickly marked with 
small streaks of blackish brown ; lower part of the neck and whole 
lower parts deep dusky, each feather edged with brownish white 
and with fine seams of rusty white; upper parts the same, but 
rather deeper; the outer vanes of nine of the secondaries bright 
violet-blue, forming the beauty-spot, Avhich is bounded on all sides 
by black ; wings and tail sooty brown ; tail-feathers sharp-pointed ; 
legs and feet dusky yellow ; lining of the wings pure white. 

"The female has more brown on her plumage, but in other 
respects differs little from the male, both having the beauty-spot 
on the wing. 





ANAS ACUTA. PINTAIL DUCK, OR SPRTGTAIL. 



^t^^^^^^^s HIS handsome-looking duck is known to 
our shooters indifferently as the pintail or 
sprigtail. The latter appellation is per- 
haps the most common. They frequent 
the fresh-water streams of almost every 
section of our country, both inland and on 
the seaboard. They are not very partial to 
salt water. Sprigtails are shy and vigi- 
lant; when aroused, they fly confusedly together, so that the 
shooter has always a fine opportunity to rake the flock when on 
the wing. They remain with us all winter and breed in the North ; 
their flesh is sweet and often delicious. 




DESCRIPTION. 



" The pintail duck is twenty-six inches in length and two feet 
ten inches in extent ; the bill is a dusky lead-color ; irides dark 
hazel ; head and half of the neck pale brown, each side of the 
neck marked with a band of purple-violet, bordering the white 



324 



•I 



PINTAL-DUCK, OR SPRINGTAIL. 325 

hind-part of the upper half of the neck black, bordered on each 
side by a stripe of white, which spreads over the lower part of the 
neck before ; sides of the breast and upper part of the back white, 
thickly and elegantly marked with transverse, undulating lines of 
black, here and there tinged with pale buff; throat and middle of 
the belly white, tinged with cream ; flanks finely pencilled Avith 
waving lines ; vent white ; under tail-coverts black ; lesser wing- 
coverts broAvn-ash ; greater the same, tipped with orange ; beloAV 
which is the speculum, or beauty-spot, of rich golden green, bor- 
dered below with a band of black and another of white ; primaries 
dusky broAvn ; tertials long, black, edged with white and tinged 
with rust ; rump and tail-coverts pale ash, centred with dark brown ; 
tail greatly pointed, the two middle tapering feathers being full 
five inches longer than the others, and black ; the rest broAvn-ash, 
edged with AA'hite ; legs a pale lead-color. 

" The female has the crown of a dark broAvn color ; neck of a 
dull broAvnish-Avhite, thickly speckled with dark brown ; breast and 
belly pale broAvnish-Avhite, interspersed with Avhite ; back and root 
of the neck above black, each feather elegantly Avaved with broad 
lines of brownish white — these wavings become rufous on the scapu- 
lars ; vent Avhite, spotted with dark broAvn ; tail dark broAA-n, 
spotted Avith Avhite ; the tAvo middle tail-feathers half an inch longer 
than the others. 

"The sprigtail is an elegantly-formed, long-bodied duck, the 
neck longer and more slender than most others." 






ANAS SPONSA. SUMMER-DUCK, OR WOOD-DUCK. 

UMMER-DUCKS are remarkable for 
the richness and varied hue of their 
plumage, and are considered the most 
beautiful of all the duck tribe. It is 
spread throughout the whole extent of 
our country, breeding in almost every 
State of the Union, and familiarly known 
to country-people as the wood-duck, from 
the circumstance of its selecting the hollows of trees to breed in. 
This fowl delights in the small streams and mill-ponds of the in- 
terior, and is but seldom met with on the large rivers. They are 
not often met with in flocks, but are generally found in small 
families of two or three. The followers of Sir Isaac Walton are 
generally much more familiar with this fowl than the professed 
sportsman, as they, in the pursuit of their favorite amusement, 
spend much of their time in the quiet and secluded haunts which 
326 



SUMMER-DUCK, OR WOOD-DUCK. 327 

these birds affect. Their food consists of seeds and insects, and 
their flesh at times is excellent. They are easily tamed ■when 
taken young, and soon become completely domesticated. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"The wood-duck is nineteen inches in length and two feet four 
mches in extent ; bill red, margined with black ; a spot of black 
lies between the nostrils, reaching nearly to the tip, which is also 
of the same color, and furnished with a large hooked nail; irides 
orange-red ; front, crown, and pendent crest rich glossy bronze- 
green, ending in violet, elegantly marked with a line of pure white 
running from the upper mandible over the eye, and with another 
band of white proceeding from behind the eye, both mingling 
their long pendent plumes with the green and violet ones, pro- 
ducing a rich effect ; cheeks and sides of the upper neck violet ; 
chin, throat, and collar round the neck pure white, curving up in 
the form of a crescent nearly to the posterior part of the eye; 
the white collar is bounded below with black ; breast dark violet- 
brown, marked on the forepart Avith minute triangular sjjots of 
white, increasing in size until they spread into the white of the 
belly; each side of the breast is bounded by a large cres- 
cent of white, and that again by a broader one of deep black; 
sides under the wings thickly and beautifully marked with fine 
undulating parallel lines of black, on a ground of yellowish drab ; 
the flanks are ornamented with broad, alternate, semicircular bands 
of black and white ; sides of the vent rich light-violet ; tail-coverts 
long, of a hair-like texture at the sides, over which they descend, 
and of a deep black, glossed with green; back dusky bronze, 
reflecting green ; scapulars black ; tail tapering, dark glossy green 
above, below dusky ; primaries dusky, silvery hoary without, 
tipped with violet-blue ; secondaries greenish blue, tipped with 
white ; wing-coverts violet-blue, tipped with black ; vent dusky ; 
legs and feet yellowish red ; claws strong and hooked. 

" The female has the head slightly crested ; crown, dark purple ; 



328 



LEWIS S- AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



behind the eye a bar of white ; chin and throat, for two inches, 
also white ; head and neck dark drab ; breast, dusky brown, 
marked with large triangular spots of white ; back dark glossy 
bronze-brown, with some gold and greenish reflections ; speculum 
of the wings nearly the same as in the male, but the fine pencil- 
ling of the sides and the long hair-like tail-coverts are wanting ; 
the tail is also shorter." 



Ll,^>,' '^ ,1 





ANAS CANADENSIS. CANADA GOOSE. 

" Hawnk ! honk ! and for' arc! to the nor'ai-d is the trumpet-tone ! 
What goose can lag, or feather flag, or break the goodly cone ? 
Hawnk I onward to the cool blue lakes where lie our safe love-bowers, 
No stop, no drop of ocean-brine, near stool or hassock hoary, 
Our travelling watchword is ^ our mates, our goslings, and our glory !' 
Symsonia and Labrador for us are crowned with flowers, 
And not a breast on wave shall rest, until that heaven is ours. 

Hawnk! Hawnk! E — e Hawnk!" 




spring 



ILD GEESE are widely spread over the 
whole of the country; and there are 
few portions of the United States where 
the honking of the goose is not familiar 
to the inhabitants. These fowl, in their 
migrations south and north, are con- 
sidered the sure harbingers of dreary 
winter or the near approach of cheerful 

breed in the remotest regions of the North, even 

329 



330 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

perhaps under the very Pole itself, where, undisturbed by the 
cruel hands of man, they rear their young in the most perfect 
security, and only leave those peaceful climes when driven from 
them by the severity of threatening winter. 

Wild geese make their appearance on the Delaware and Chesa- 
peake Bays in October; and when many are flying early in the 
season it is considered a certain prognostic of a long and hard 
winter, — a belief in which all the inhabitants of those parts which 
they visit place implicit confidence. 

During their journey through the Canadas, their thick ranks 
are considerably thinned by the slaughter made among them by 
the Indians, who kill immense numbers for their own support and 
for that of the English settlements about Hudson's Bay. 

The geese are cleaned and salted away for the winter's use, and 
aiford the principal article of flesh that the people have to rely 
upon for several months in the year. 

Mr. Pennat says, " The English at Hudson's Bay depend greatly 
on geese of this and other kinds for their support, and in favor- 
able years kill three or four thousand, which are salted and 
barrelled. Their arrival is impatiently expected by the inhabit- 
ants, as they are one of the chief articles of their food and also 
the harbingers of spring ; and the month is named by the Indians 
the Croose-moon. They appear usually at our settlements in num- 
bers about St. George's day, and fly northward to nestle in se- 
curity. They prefer islands to the continent, as farther from the 
haunts of men. Thus, Marble Island was found in August to 
swarm with swans, geese, and ducks, — the old ones moulting, and 
the young unfledged and incapable of flying. The English send 
out their servants as well as the Indians to shoot these birds on 
their passage. It is in vain to pursue them ; they therefore form 
a row of huts made of boughs, at musket-shot distance from each 
other, and place them in a line across the parts of the vast marshes 
of the country where the geese are expected to pass. Each stand 
is occupied by a single person ; these, on the approach of the 
birds, mimic their cackle so well that the geese will answer, wheel, 



CANADA GOOSE. 331 

and come nearer the hovel. The sportsman keeps motionless and 
on his knees, with his gun cocked, and never fires till he has seen 
the eyes of the geese. He fires as they are going from him, then 
picks up another gun that lies by him and discharges that. The 
geese killed he sets up on sticks, as if alive, to decoy others ; he 
also makes artificial birds for the same purpose. In a good day (for 
they fly in very uncertain and unequal numbers) a single Indian will 
kill two hundred. Notwithstanding every sort of goose has a differ- 
ent call, yet the Indians are admirable in their imitation of every one." 

The geese, on their return to the North, pass through the East- 
ern States in the months of April and May, early or late, accord- 
ing to the state of the Aveathcr. When in our waters they feed 
on the leaves, blades, and berries of different marine plants, and 
the roots of the sedge which grows so abundantly on the salt 
marshes. Their flight is heavy and laborious, and in the form of 
a triangle, the flock being led by an old gander. When wounded, 
they swim and dive with great facility, going long distances under 
the water. When taken alive, they are easily domesticated, and 
will breed readily with the tame goose. It is a very common 
circumstance to see flocks of these geese entirely domesticated in 
the neighborhood of the waters which they frequented in their 
original state of freedom. Although they may have become quite 
tame, and perhaps have reared a brood or two, they are all apt to ex- 
hibit symptoms of uneasiness as the period for migration approaches, 
and will sometimes fly off with the wild ones that they hear honking 
overhead. The Canadian goose is domesticated in England and 
France, and is considered superior to the common gray goose. 

Many plana are resorted to by the shooters on our coast to 
decoy these wary fowl within gunshot, and none more successful 
than that of imitating their lionkings, which most of them can do 
to perfection. 

Domestic geese are also used to decoy the wild ones flying over- 
head ; and they not unfrequently entice them from great heights 
in the air to alight among them, supposing them to be some of 
their own companions feeding in safety below. 



832 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

They are also shot at night on the ponds and marshes -where., 
they go to feed. 

Numbers are shot over decoys from the sand-flats, or points 
upon which are sunk boxes, in which the shooter conceals himself. 
When only wounded, they are difficult to capture, as they swim and 
dive well, and also possess the power of sinking their bodies in 
the water with the bill only projecting above the surface, and will 
continue in this position for some time. 

Wild geese, when migrating South, sometimes lose their Avay, 
more particularly in foggy weather, when they have been known 
to alight in the immediate vicinity of the farm-houses, apparently 
much confused and wonder-struck at their peculiar and dangerous 
position. When feeding, sanding, or sleeping, they always place 
sentinels on guard, who are regularly relieved at the lapse of an 
hour or so. These sentinels are ever on the alert, with wide- 
extended necks, and give the alarm to their companions at the 
slightest intimation of danger. 

DESCRIPTION. 

" The length of this species is three feet ; extent five feet two 
inches ; the bill is black ; irides dark hazel ; upper half of the 
neck black, marked on the chin and lower part of the head with a 
large patch of white, its distinguishing character ; lower part of 
the neck, before, white; back and Aving-coA'erts brown, each feather 
tipped Avith whitish ; rump and tail black ; tail-coverts and vent 
white ; primaries black, reaching to the extremity of the tail ; 
sides pale ashy-brown ; legs and feet blackish ash. 

" The male and female are exactly alike in plumage." 




SNOAV-GOOSE. 333 



ANAS HYPERBOREA. SNOW-GOOSE. 

" Hoarse, heavy geese SL^ream up the distant sky 
And all the thunders of our boat defy." 

This beautiful fowl is known upon our coast as*tlic red goose, 
and makes its appearance in the rivers of the Eastern States early 
in November, and as the winter progresses proceeds farther South ; 
it also stops with us on its return to the North early in the spring, 
or rather late in the winter. 

Snow-geese are numerous on the coast of Jersey and in the 
Delaware Bay. They frequent the marshes and reedy shores to 
feed upon the roots of various marine plants, — more particularly 
that called sea-cabbage. Their bills being very strong and well 
supplied with powerful teeth, they pull up with great facility the 
roots of sedge and all other plants. 

Their flesh, though not fishy, is strong, but, we think, better than 
that of the domestic fowl. 

The same stratagems are used to shoot these fowls as are put 
into practice to kill the other variety. 

DESCRIPTION. 

" The snow-goose is two feet eight inches in length and five feet 
in extent ; the bill is three inches in length, remarkably thick at 
the base, and rising high in the forehead, but becomes small and 
compressed at the extremity, where each mandible is furnished 
with a whitish rounding nail ; the color of the bill is a purplish car- 
mine ; the edges of the two mandibles separate from each other in 
a singular manner for their whole length, and this gibbosity is 
occupied by dented rows, resembling teeth, these and the parts 
adjoining being of a blackish color; the whole plumage is of a 
snowy whiteness, with the exception, first, of the forepart of the 
head all round as far as the eyes, which is of a yellowish-rust 
color intermixed with white ; and, second, the nine exterior quill- 



834 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



feathers, wliicli are black, shafted with white, and white at the 
root ; the coverts of these last, and also the bastard wing, are 
sometimes of a pale ash color ; the legs and feet of the same pur- 
plish carmine as the bill ; iris dark hazel ; the tail is rounded, and 
consists of sixteen feathers ; that and the wings when shut nearly 
of a length." 

Wilson remarks that "the bill of this bird is singularly curious: 
the edges of the upper and lower gibbosities have each twenty- 
three indentations or strong teeth on each side; the inside or 
concavity of the upper mandible has also seven lateral rows of 
strong projecting teeth; and the tongue, which is horny at the 
extremity, is armed on each side with thirteen long and sharp bony 
teeth, placed like those of a saw, with their points directed back- 
wards ; the tongue turned up, and viewed on its lower side, looks 
very much like a human finger with its nail. This conformation 
of the mandibles, exposing two rows of strong teeth, has probably 
given rise to the epithet 'laughing,' bestowed on one of its varie- 
ties, though it might with as much propriety have been named the 
grinning goose.'^ 





ANAS BERNICLA. BRANT, OR BRENT. 

ILSON considers the brant and barnacle 
goose the same bird. Large flocks of 
these fowl arrive on the coast of Jersey 
in the latter part of September or early 
in October. They remain in these re- 
gions till the weather gets very cold, and 
then move off to the South. They feed 
on shell-fish and marine vegetables : their 
flesh is sedgy, and often extremely fishy. 
Our markets are crowded with brant in 
autumn and spring, and they sell for a mere trifle. They have a 
hoarse, honking, disagreeable note, and may be heard at a great 
distance. They are shy birds, and fly high and in long lines. 

Great numbers of brant are killed about Long Island by shoot- 
ers concealed in batteries somewhat similar to those used on the 
Chesapeake Bay for the capture of canvas-backs. Those shot 
late m the spring are much better eating than at any other time. 

Unsuccessful attempts have been made to domesticate them, but, 

385 




336 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

owing to their wild and wandering disposition, but little has been 
accomplished towards this end. 

DESCRIPTION. 

"The brant generally weighs about four pounds avoirdupois, 
and measures two feet in length and three feet six inches in ex- 
tent; the bill is about an inch and a half long, and black; the 
nostril large, placed nearly in its middle; head, neck, and breast 
black, the neck marked with a spot of white about two inches below 
the eye ; belly pale ash, edged with white ; from the thighs back- 
wards, white; back and wing-coverts dusky brownish-black, the 
plumage lightest at the tips ; rump and middle of the tail-coverts 
black; the rest of the tail-coverts pure white, reaching nearly to 
the tip of the tail, the whole of which is black, but usually con- 
cealed by the white coverts ; primaries and secondaries deep black ; 
legs also black; irides dark hazel. 

"The only material difference observable between the' plumage 
of the male and female is, that in the latter the white spot on the 
neck is less, and more mottled with dusky. In young birds it is 
sometimes wanting, or occurs on the front, cheeks, and chin, and 
sometimes the upper part of the neck only is black ; but in full- 
plumaged birds of both sexes the markings are very much alike." 





AMESrOAN SWAN — CYGNUS AMERICANA; 

AND 

TRUMPETER SWAN — CYGNUS BUCINATOR. 




" The stately-sailing swan 
Gives out his snowy plumage to the gale ; 
And, arching proud his neck, with oary feet 
Bears forward fierce, and guards his osier- isle, 
Protective of his young." 

WHERE FOUND, ETC. 

E have two or more varieties of swans 
which visit the shores of our Atlantic 
States. At times they are quite nume- 
rous in the vicinity of Carrol's Island, 
more particularly if the weather continues 
boisterous for several days, when they 
retire from the mid-bay to seek food on 
the shallows of the coves or under the 

protection of the islands a considerable distance from the sea. 

22 337 




338 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



Swans are very shy, fly high, and are not easily brought down un- 
less struck in some vital part. The flesh of the cygnet, or young 
swan, is considered excellent. We have eaten of it frequently, but 
cannot say that we have any great predilection in its faVor. One 
thing is certain, however : it is superior to the wild goose, but in- 
ferior to the canvas-back. 

Swans are frequently — and, we may say, easily — domesticated; 
but they will not thrive save where they can pass most of their 
time on the Avater. In such favorable situations for their mode 
of life, they will breed and live for years contented and happy. 
Swans, par excellence, are the most beautiful, most elegant, most 
graceful, and most spotless of all fowl. Their plumage is perfectly 
white. 

The Cygnus Americana is the species most commonly met with. 
The other varieties are but seldom shot in these parts. Swans, like 
the rest of the wild fowl, retire to the Far North in the early 
spring. 





CHAPTER XXV. 



AMERICAN HARE, OR GRAY RABBIT. LEPUS SYLVATICTJS. 



DESCRIPTTON, HABITS, GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS, ETC. 

"SUMMER DRESS. 

UR on the back yellowish brown ; soft fur, 
from the roots to the surface plumbeous ; 
the long hah's which extend beyond th'^ 
fur, and give the general color to the ani- 
mal, are for three-fourths of their length 
lead-colored, then yellowish, and are tipped 
with black ; ears dark brown on the outer 
surface, destitute of the distinct black bor- 
der seen in the Northern hare, and not tipped with black like those 
of the Polar and variable hare; whiskers nearly all black; irit; 
light brownish-yellow ; a circle of fawn-color around the eye, more 

conspicuous nearest the forehead: cheeks grayish; chin, under 

3o9 




340 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

surface of body, and inner surface of legs, light grayish-wliite ; tail, 
upper surface grayish brown, beneath white ; breast light yellowish- 
gray ; behind the ears a broad patch of fawn-color ; outer surface 
of fore-legs and thighs yellowish brown. 

"ayinter color. 

" Very similar to the above ; in a few specimens the hairs are 
whitest at the tips ; in others black tips prevail. This hare never 
becomes white in any part of our country, and so far as our re- 
searches have extended we have scarcely found any variety in its 
color. 

" DIMENSIONS. 

ADULT MALE. INCHES. UNES. 

"Length of head and body 15 

" head 3 5 

" ears 3 

" tail (vertebrae) 1 2 

" tail, including fur 2 2 

From heel to end of middle claw 3 7 

Weight 2 lbs. 7 oz." — Audubox. 

LOCALITY. 

The gi'ay rabbit is met with as far north as New Hampshire, 
and abounds in the Middle, Southern, and Western States. 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 

The timid and interesting little creature now under considera- 
tion, we may say, is universally known as the rabbit ; this appella- 
tion, however, notwithstanding its general use, is a very unjust one, 
as will be learned from the following remarks on this head. 

Those naturalists who have studied the habits and characteristics 
of the genus lepus of America do not hesitate for a moment in 
placing all the varieties yet met with in their proper rank of hare. 
And, moreover, we shall, without doubt, surprise some of our 
readers when we tell them that we have no rabbit — that is, true 
rabbit — indigenous to this country. 

The hare and rabbit so closely resemble each other in many 



THE AMERICAN HARE. 341 

points that it is not at all astonishing that they should often be 
confounded one ■s> ith the other ; in fact, nothing but the discrimi- 
nating eyes of science could have pointed out the dividing-line 
between these two nearly-allied species. 

The principal and most striking dificrence in the habits of these 
tAYo species is the circumstance of one living in communities and 
burrowing in the ground, while the other lives singly or in 
pairs, and makes its nest upon the open surface ; this peculiarity 
of tlie American hare is almost sufficient of itself to prove the en- 
tire identity of the species with that of the English hare, (Lepus 
cuniculus.) 

AVe have, however, still stronger grounds than this for placing 
our rabbit, as it is termed, in the same rank with that of the Euro- 
pean hare. 

The American hare, as the English, breeds about three times in 
the course of a year ; in the South they may possibly, owing to 
the effects of climate, bring forth more frequently. Their nest is 
of the rudest character, and constructed wuth little or no care for 
any thing like warmth or comfort ; it is generally found upon the 
open ground, in an old field, perhaps protected somewhat from the 
'weather and easy observation by the overhanging leaves of a 
shrub or other small plant. 

The rabbit, on the contrary, has several litters in the course of 
the year, and selects with some degree of care the choicest part of 
its burrow for the deposit of its young ; the nest is made of the 
softest materials within the reach of the anxious mother, and she 
even plucks the downy fleece from her own body to furnish a soft 
and warm bed for the reception of her tender offspring. 

The young of the Lepus sylvaticus, at birth, are covered with 
hair ; their eyes wide open and ready for immediate use : their ears 
fully developed and eager for action ; their bodies supple and theii 
limbs pliant, even so much so that they possess sufficient strength 
to run almost at the moment of birth. 

The young of the rabbit, on the contrary, are deposited in the 
dark recesses of the burrow, entirely destitute of any protectioii in 



342 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the way of fur, their eyes shut up and then* ear-flaps even closed; 
then- bodies also are soft and delicate, and their limbs feeble ; in 
fact, the litter is entirely dependent upon the anxious care of its 
parent for protection and support for a considerable time after 
birth. 

The flesh also of the hare and rabbit is quite dissimilar ; the 
former when boiled is dark, the latter white ; there is also a game- 
flavor about the one that the other does not possess. 

The rabbit is a lively, frolicsome little animal, delighting to pop 
in and out of its burrow at all hours of the day, to bask for a few 
moments in the sun and collect something to eat, and then away 
at the slightest token of alarm to the depths of its subterranean 
abode. - 

The hare is a timid, lonely creature, sitting motionless for hours, 
crouched up within its form, — a mere space the size of the animal 
upon the open ground, — or perhaps snugly stowed away under a pile 
of brush, stones, or rubbish of any description whatever. 

The rabbit, when pursued by dogs, takes to his burrow as the 
only secure refuge. 

The hare, on the contrary, trusts in a great measure to his speed 
and cunning to insure his safety ; and when pursued by dogs the 
American species resort to the same method of escaping from their 
enemies as the English variety, — that is, doubling. The construc- 
tion of the hind-legs is also the same in the one as in the other, 
being not less' than ten inches in length, which is large in proportion 
to the size of the body ; those of the rabbit are much smaller. 

The American hare has from three to five young at a litter, 
sometimes six, and rarely seven. If it Avere not for the wonderful 
fecundity of this animal, the whole race would soon become extinct, 
from the constant and never-ceasing depredations of its numerous 
enemies. Nature, however, wise in all her plans, compensates for 
the waste on one side by an extraordinary fruitfulness on the other, 
thus balancing the losses from destruction by that of reproduction, 
in a ratio which is always sufficient to insure the prolonged exist- 
ence of the race. 



THE AMERICAN HARE. 343 

The hare is peculiarly adapted for speed, not only on account 
of the general muscularity of its body, but also from the peculiar 
construction of its hind-limbs, which, being so very long, assist the 
animal greatly in going up-hill, — in fact, gives it considerable ad- 
vantage over the pursuer, and of which, from cunning, or, more 
properly, instinct, it avails itself by taking to rising ground as soon 
as come upon. The hare is always in good running condition at 
that season of the year when it is most likely to be pursued by 
dogs or other less dangerous foes; this circumstance also we may 
regard as a peculiar provision of nature, for if the timid little 
creature were permitted to repose in ease and silence, entirely free 
from apprehension of danger except at the moment Avhen really 
attacked, the body would soon become overloaded with fat, which 
would necessarily prevent it from taking advantage of that fleet- 
ness which, when in condition, insures its safety. 

The American hare has considerable speed, and can run for a 
short time without giving out; the hairy covering of its feet gives 
it a decided advantage over the dog in a race, during dry or frosty 
weather. When hotly pursued, hares most frequently take to 
holes, hollowed trunks of trees, or secrete themselves under brush- 
heaps, old logs, or piles of stone. When first roused, the hare 
dashes off in good style, and at a speed that soon leaves its pur- 
suers far in the wake ; but, unfortunately, for want of sagacity, 
puss exhausts her strength long before the scent grows cold or 
the hounds begin to tire, and, if it were not for their taking to 
holes, piles of logs or brush, they would soon fall victims to almost 
any cur that has the bottom and perseverance to follow in their trail. 

The construction and position of the eyes in the head are such 
as to enable the hare to encompass nearly a whole circle in its 
glance, with scarcely any motion of the head; the eyelids are 
never completely closed, not even in sleep. The ears also are so 
contrived as to collect the slightest sound arising in any quarter. 
With such endowments, it is seldom that a hare is come upon un- 
awares, although he may spring up from beneath our very feet, or 
from before the nose of our dogs ; he Avas well apprized however, of 



344 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

our close pvoximity, and only trusted, as he had often done before, 
that, owing to the striking semblance between his color and that of 
the ground or surrounding herbage, he would escape unnoticed. 

The hare may be termed a nocturnal animal, "as it is commonly 
at the earliest dawn, while the dew-drops still glitter on the herb- 
age, or when the fresh verdure is concealed beneath a mantle of 
glistening frost, that the timorous hare ventures forth in quest of 
food, or courses undisturbed over the plains." 

Although sportsmen meet with hares in considerable numbers 
at all hours of the day, it must be recollected that they are not 
found feeding, but, on the contrary, are generally roused from 
their forms, where perhaps they have been crouching for hours in 
undisturbed repose. 

" During moonlight nights, the timorous hare may be seen 
sporting with its companions in unrestrained gambols, frisking 
with delighted eagerness around its mate, or busily engaged in 
cropping its food." 

THEIR FOOD. 

The hare is not a very dainty animal as to the choice of her 
food ; every thing produced upon a farm or cultivated in the 
garden is alike palatable to her, and she not unfrequently makes 
great havoc with the autumnal turnip and cabbage-crops; she also 
frequents the cornfields to glean the scattered grains, and visits 
the orchards in quest of the juicy apple. The partiality on the 
part of the hare for the last-mentioned fruit is turned to fearful 
account against them by those who bait their traps and snares 
with it, for the dainty morsel thus laid in their very path seldom 
fails to entice an unwary hare within its deceptive clutches. 

Later in the season, when food is scarce and nothing more 
palatable is at hand, hares often become very destructive to the 
young nurseries, by gnawing the tender bark from the fruit-trees, 
which they greedily devour. 

Hares are fond of every description of wild fruit and berries; 
and it is not until after the commencement of the frost, when all 



THE AMERICAN HARE. 345 

these various productions are ripe, that they become fit for the 
table. 

In the North, they depend for support during the long -winters 
upon the buds and bark of the pine and fir, upon which they 
grow fat. 

THEIR FLESH. 

The flesh of the American hare, when cooked, is dark and of a 
game-flavor, and, if it were not for their great abundance, would be 
higlily esteemed as a delicacy for the table ; but, so long as they 
can be purchased in our markets at twelve and a half cents apiece, 
the public will not think a great deal of them. 

The hare is not in condition for the table until after several 
severe frosts, when the meat will be found clean, delicate, juicy, 
and tender, provided it is cooked in right style and with the pro- 
per condiments. In the summer season, hares are not fit for the 
table at all ; their flesh at this time is tough and stringy, and, 
moreover, their bodies, more particularly about the head and 
upper part of the neck, are infested with a species of oestrus, that 
lays its eggs in the skin, and which, when hatched, grow sometimes 
to an enormous size before leaving its nest ; we have found them 
buried in the very flesh of the neck, as much as an inch long, and 
as large as the point ,of the little finger. Their presence must 
worry and torment the poor animal much, as w^e have ahvays 
found those with these worms in them very lean, and to all appear- 
ance weak and sickly. We have shot them as late as November 
with these worms in them, but they generally fall out much earlier 
than this. 





HUNTING HARES. 




-^^ NSTEAD of coursing hares as they do in 
England and on the Continent, we either 
take them in snares and traps, or rous- 
ing them with a dog, shoot them as they 
make off. They are easily killed, and it 
will require but a few pellets of partridge- 
shot to bring a large one to bag. 

They possess a strong scent, and perplex 
the dogs very much when in pursuit of 
partridges : the best of dogs can hardly 
refrain from chasing a hare, after pointing it and seeing it jump 
up and make off from before his very nose. They lie very close, 
and it will be necessary oftentimes to kick them up from their 
form when the dog points them ; we have done so repeatedly. 
Hares aifect marshy thickets, or rather the open fields adjoin- 
ing thickets; as they retire to these situations for refuge as soon 
as roused, and in fact remain there during the greater portion of 

the day. They bound along with considerable speed and gene- 
346 



T IJ E AMERICAN HARE. 347 

raPj in a straight course, but wlien hard pressed resort to the 
artifices of doubling, — a manoeuvre practised constantly by the 
European variety. They Avill also hide themselves away in the 
trunk of a hollow tree, Avhich they ascend by pressing the feet 
and back against opposite sides of the hollow. 

The kind of dogs most generally employed in the pursuit of 
hares in this country is a small species of beagle, the production, 
wo believe, of a cross and recross of the fox-hound and beagle. 
These animals, as well as most other mongrels found on our farms, 
become very fond of the sport, and acquire considerable sagacity 
and speed in the chase. 

There are few dogs that live in the country but will hunt rabbits, 
or, more correctly speaking, hares ; some of course are far superior 
to others, according to their build and the intelligence bequeathed 
them by their ancestors. 

DOMESTICATED. 

American hares have in some few instances been domesticated, 
but, when confined in enclosures, are ever making efforts to escape ; 
they will, however, breed in warrens. 

THEIR CRY. 

" This species, like all the true hares, has no note of recognition ; 
and its voice is never heard, except when wounded, or at the mo- 
ment of its capture, when it utters a shrill, plaintive cry, like that 
of a young child in pain ; in the Northern hare this cry is louder, 
shriller, and of longer continuance." 

ENEMIES. 

It is not surprising that a timid, defenceless creature like the 
hare should have numerous sanguinary enemies ; and among them 
none are more destructive than the weasel. This formidable and 
courageous little animal is constantly on the look-out for hares, 
and, tracking them, enters the holes, hollow trees, or other places 
where they are secreted, and dispatches them with the greatest 



348 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

ferocity. Skunks, wild cats, foxes, liawks, owls, snakes, &c. all 
prey upon the hare whenever they can succeed in capturing him 
either by pursuit, stealth, or stratagem. 

DIFFERENT VARIETIES. 

There are several varieties of hares distributed over different 
sections of our extensive country. Their habits are generally 
very analogous to those of the Lepus sylvaticus. 

Some varieties, however, are smaller, while others are larger; 
and those inhabiting the more northern latitudes change their 
sombre summer pelage during the winter months to a spotless 
white. Their flesh at the proper season is vmiversally esteemed, 
and the timid creatures are consequently much persecuted by the 
inhabitants of the districts wherever they are found. 

MEMORANDA. 

1. The American hare is not a rabbit, but a bona fide hare, both 
in appearance, flesh, and mode of life : no naturalist disputes the 
point. 

2. Different varieties of foreign rabbits have been imported into 
the country from time to time ; but there is no species of rabbits a 
native of this continent as yet discovered. 

3. American hares, like the European, live singly above ground, 
and never burrow ; they also breed far less often than the rabbit, 
and have fewer at each litter. 

4. The English rabbits live in communities, and form extensive 
excavations in the ground, termed hurroivs or ivarrens, where they 
mostly reside and deposit their young. 

5. The young of the Lepus sylvaticus, as the foreign hare, are 
covered with hair at birth, their eyes open, and their limbs strong 
enough for immediate action. 

6. The young of the true rabbit are quite bare of hair : when 
first brought forth, their eyes are closed and their limbs tender 
and weakly. 

7. The American hare is a lonely, timid creature ; the rabbit, 



THE AMERICAN HARE. 



349 



on the contrary, is a social, frolicsome, bold or rather pert little 
animal. 

8. The hind-legs of the Lepus sylvaticus are very long, and 
formed like those of the European hare, and arc consequenty quite 
different from those of the rabbit. 

9. The Lepus sylvaticus, when pursued by dogs, trusts in a great 
measure to her speed for safety, and resorts to the same devices to 
insure her escape (that is, doubling) as the English variety. 

10. The rabbit, on the contrary, takes to her burrow as her only 
safeguard. 

11. The flesh of the hare, when boiled, is dark ; that of the 
rabbit, white 

12. The hare is almost entirely a nocturnal animal ; the rabbit, 
but little so. 





CHAPTER XXVI. 



THE SQUIRHEL. 

■ From bough to bough the scampering squirrels bound, 
But soon in smoky thuii lers bits the ground ; 
Life's gushing streams their sable furs defile." 

E hardly think it will be expected of ua 
to include the subject of squirrel-shoot- 
ing in this volume ; however, as we know 
something about the matter, (perhapj 
nothing ncAv,) picked up during our early 
school-days in a great squirrel-country, 
it may not be amiss in us to devote a few 
pages to these interesting little creatures, 
that enliven the solitude of our deep 
forests with their frolicsome gambols. 
Our friend Porter, in his reprint of Hmvker^ — by-the-by a most 

excclknt work in itself, and made still more so by the valuable 
8-30 




THE SQUIKREL. 351 

additions of the editor, — gives a most interesting account of 
sqwirrel-shooting . 

If all our readers vrould peruse the articles referred to in the 
above publication, they would have nothing further to learn on 
the subject, save a few hints as to the habits of the animal. 

VARIETIES OF SQUIRRELS. 

" There are no less than sixty or seventy varieties of this genus 
described by naturalists, of which twenty well-determined species 
exist in North America." 

HABITS, LOCALITY, AND GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 

The habits of the whole race of squirrels are nearly akin ; and 
their bodies are covered with long, soft, and beautiful fur, and 
furnished with a long, wiry, and bushy tail, which latter appendage 
adds greatly to their graceful appearance, as they are all alike 
remarkable for their sprightliness, agility, and elegance of foi'm. 

Squirrels are at all times, even in a state of captivity, of a 
restless, active disposition. In their native wilds they are ever 
frolicsome and gay, jumping from tree to tree. They pass their 
time in joyousness and unrestrained freedom in the midst of the 
rich abundance of our forests. When moving on the ground, the 
squirrel seldom runs, but advances by a series of jumps. They 
are of a sly, mercurial temperament, seldom remaining still for a 
moment, except when alarmed ; then they will stretch themselves 
out at full length, on the topmost branch of a high tree, on the 
side opposite to the seat of danger, and thus remain perfectly 
motionless, as if a part or parcel of the tree itself, until the cause 
of the alarm has moved off. 

They generally build large nests formed of twigs, moss, and 
leaves, in the notches of the highest forest-trees, or take up their 
abode in hollow trunks, or burrow in the ground. 

The whole race of squirrels is very prolific ; and some species 
increase so rnpidly and to such a surprising extent in certain 
sections of country that they actually become a severe scourge to 



352 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the farmer, "who, with the assistance of all his family, is no: able 
to protect his hard-earned crops from the depredations of these 
laAviess little fellows, that swarm in the cornfield at such timos by 
hundreds, and even thousands, consuming all within their reach, 
and destroying still more by throwing it down on the ground. 

When eating, or occupied in listening, they sit erect on their 
hind-legs, with their long, bushy tail raised beautifully along the 
back as far as the shoulders, then falling in a graceful curve near 
the extremity, and hanging towards the ground. Their food is 
always held in their fore-paws. 

The teeth of the whole race are remarkable for their sharpness, 
power, and durability ; they cut with ease, in an incredibly short 
time, through the hardest hickory-nut, and have the sagacity to 
tell a withered or rotten nut from a good one by the mere feel or 
smell; and no sooner do they pick up one of these bad ones than 
they turn it round in their nimble paws and discard it. This fact 
we have again and again tested with the common gray squirrel. 
The gullet of the squirrel is said to be very small, or rather con- 
tracted at one point, to prevent the food from being disgorged 
when descending trees. We do not know if such is the fact, and 
we have no squirrel at hand at this present time to examine. 

The whole race, with one or two exceptions, inhabit the thick 
woods, living upon the profusion of seeds, acorns, hickory-nuts, 
chestnuts, and the various other products of our rich and grand 
forests. Several varieties of squirrels, more especially those 
at the North, are very provident and thoughtful of the morrow, 
always collecting and laying up in secret storehouses the surplus 
food, which they partake of during the winter season, when the 
nuts are all shaken by the cold blasts from the trees, and perhaps 
covered up a foot or more in frozen snow. These well-stocked 
granaries are generally in the neighborhood of their nests, either 
in the hollow of a tree, in the bottom of an old stump, or in the 
wide fissure of an overhanging rock. The quantities of nuts thus 
stowed away by a single squirrel is sometimes enormous. We have 
seen as much as a bushel of hickory-nuts, chestnuts, acorns, beech- 



THE SQUIRREL. 353 

nuts, chincapins, &c. &c. deposited in one of these spots. The 
whole, however, may not have been put there by a single indi- 
vidual, — the stock, perhaps, having been collected together by 
several, who made this the general depot for all their contribu- 
tions, each one laboring for the general good, and all, in turn, 
entitled to a full share of tlie booty. Each squirrel, most 
commonly, has several diifcrent storehouses, to which he respeci- 
ivcly resorts according to circumstances. The fact of these in- 
dustrious little animals providing themselves Avith more granaries 
than one for the guarding of their treasures is a striking example 
of that instinct Avhich we so often see displayed in the inferior 
works of creation; for their storehouses are often discovered by 
the keen-scented hog, and the whole devoured at a single meal ; 
strange squirrels, of a larger variety, will also sometimes locate 
themselves near one of these deposits, and not only rob it of all its 
provender, but even deny the anxious owner the privilege of 
sharing in the general division; a drift of snow, or some other 
mishap, will occasionally cover one up for Aveeks at a time. In 
either of such emergencies as we ha\'e described, the poor squirrel 
would have but a slim chance to get through the Avinter if he had 
not provided himself Avith other secret stores. 

Squirrels are all A^ery cleanly and nice in their habits and gene- 
ral appearance, and are seen frequently in the course of a day rub- 
bing their faces with their paws, as if on purpose to Avash them oif. 

THEIR ACTIVITY AND STRENGTH. 

Squirrels are possessed of great muscular power, and leap with 
surprising agility and precision from tree to tree ; and, A\'hen hotly 
pursued and unable to reach the adjoining tree so as to eifect their 
escape, will not hesitate to drop themselves from tremendous heights 
to the ground, and then make oif with rapid bounds to the next 
favorable cluster of trees that stands in their path. 

Audubon remarks that " the squirrel is admirably adapted to a 
residence on trees, for Avhich nature has designed it. Its fingers 

are long, slender, and deeply cleft, and its nails very acute and 

23 



354 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

greatly compressed ; it is enabled to leap from branch to branch, 
and from tree to tree, clinging to the smallest twigs, and seldom 
missing its hold. When this happens to be the case, it has an in- 
stinctive habit of grasping in its descent at the first object ■which 
may present itself; or, if about to fall to the earth, it spreads out 
in the manner of the flying squirrel, and thus, by presenting a 
greater resistance to the air, is enabled to reach the ground with- 
out injury, and recover itself so instantaneously that it often 
escapes the teeth of the dog that watches its descent and stands 
ready to seize upon it at the moment of its fall." 

CAPTIVITY. 

In captivity the most of squirrels are gay, lively, and mis- 
chievous ; they are easily tamed, and become very interesting pets ; 
the most docile, however, will bite, at times, if worried ; they are 
very destructive and troublesome if not perpetually confined to 
their boxes, as when at liberty they try their long and sharp teeth 
upon every thing within their reach; no article of furniture can 
escape them. 

Squirrels, we have noticed, sleep very soundly, and are not 
easily aroused from their slumbers. They become attached to their 
teepers, and some of them will allow no other person to handle 
them. They are usually high-tempered, and are easily irritated. 

Great alarm or sensation of pain is expressed by squirrels by a 
sharp, piercing cry; that of pleasure by a soft, rumbling noise, 
somewhat like the purring of a cat ; when fretted or roused from 
their slumlbers, they give forth a loud and angry growl. 

Although, in a state of nature, nuts, seeds, insects, and grain of 
various kinds form their principal food, they soon learn to partake 
of almost every thing ; several that we have had partook of bread 
and milk with the greatest relish. 

They also become quite fond of sugar and all kinds of sweets, 
as well as fruits of every description ; they are also very partial to 
locusts, which they tear to pieces and devour with the greatest 
.zest. 



THE SQUIRREL. 355 

Wlien wild, squirrels are said never to resort to tlic streams for 
water, but quench their thirst by sipping the dew and rain that 
collects on the leaves or in the hollows of trees ; when domesti- 
cated, they drink freely and often : this may be occasioned by the 
difference in diet, as the sweets they eat in confinement will pro 
duce a thirst in any animal. 

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS. 

"In the spring the squirrels shed their hair, which is replaced 
by a thinner and less furry coat ; during summer their tails are 
narrower and less feathery than in autumn, when they cither re- 
ceive an entirely new coat or a very great accession of fur. At this 
season, also, the outer surfaces of the ears are more thickly and 
prominently clothed with fur than in the spring and autumn." 

Some species of squirrels breed twice in the course of the spring 
and summer months; they all have several at a litter. In the 
northern latitudes, where the earth is shrouded for months in a 
chilling mantle of snow, the various species of squirrels indigenous 
to these inhospitable climes retire to their secure retreats, either 
in the ground, or in the fissures of rocks or hollows of trees, where, 
surrounded by their winter store, they pass the time in a state of 
sluggish and benumbed existence, not very far removed from the 
dormancy observable in many other quadrupeds. Some varieties, to 
a certain extent, live in communities, more especially dui'ing the 
time they pass in their winter quarters. Several species have 
cheek -pouches, in which they can stow away an incredible quantity 
of nuts and seeds. 




356 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

THEIR ENEMIES. 

The whole tribe of squh-rels, like the more timid and defenceless 
hare, have a host of enemies constantly on the look-out to make 
them their prey. 

The fox, weasel, wild cat, and mink, are ever on the prowl, and 
ready to pounce upon the active little squirrel whenever they can 
secure him by stratagem or pursuit ; the weasel is ever on the alert, 
and, following his victims into their otherwise secure retreats, at- 
tacks them with the most sanguinary spirit, and soon dispatches 
the anxious parent as well as her tender and unconscious litter, 
impelled alone to such savage deeds by an unquenchable thirst for 
blood, for he seldom partakes of but a small portion of that which 
he so wantonly destroys. 

Several varieties of hawks, owls, and even snakes, capture 
squirrels, and prey upon their young. 

SQUIRREL-SHOOTING. 

In sections of country where squirrels are numerous and the pur- 
suit of them is followed as a sport, they are killed entirely with a 
small-bored rifle. Our squirrel-shooters become surprisingly expert 
in the use of this weapon, and perform some wonderful feats with 
it during the squirrel season; they always aim for the head, so as 
not to injure the skin, Avhich is valuable to the furrier if not per- 
forated with a ball. It is seldom that they miss a squirrel, even 
when hiding in the topmost branches of our tallest forest-trees. 
In portions of country where they are not so numerous, it is 
necessary to repair to the woods attended with a squirrel-dog, — 
that is, any kind of a terrier or spaniel mongrel which has been 
taught '■'' to tree a squirrel,'' or, in other words, to rush about in 
the woods till he either sees a squirrel run up a tree or gets upon 
the fresh scent of one that has just taken to a tree. The dog- 
stops at the foot, and, looking wistfully and knowingly up the 
tree, breaks forth into an incessant and musical bark that resounds 
through the woods and soon brings the huntsman to his side. The 



THE SQUIRREL. 357 

next thing is to find the squirrel, which, perhaps, is spread flat out on 
his belly, on one of the topmost branches of the tree, the color of 
his fur assimilating so closely to that of the bark that it is almost 
impossible to discover him. In a few moments, however, the 
hawk-eyed shooter catches sight of his victim as he moves for 
an instant to hide himself more securely from observation ; the 
sharp report of the rifle is immediately heard resounding afar in 
the distance, and down tumbles the once frolicsome little squirrel, 
a lifeless thing. 

When pursued or watched, squirrels instinctively dodge around 
the opposite side of the tree occupied by the sportsman, and, by 
perseveringly pursuing this course, Avill often bafile the shooter till 
his patience becomes entirely exhausted ; it is, therefore, always 
better to go in company when squirrel-shooting is the sport, so 
that either yourself or companion may contrive to get sight of 
every one that takes to a tree. 

BARKING SQUIRRELS. 

This original method of killing squirrels is pursued as a pas- 
time by shooters inhabiting districts of country where these ani- 
mals are numerous. The whole secret, or rather art, of harking 
squirrels, is to strike with the bullet immediately under that por- 
tion of the limb upon which the animal is stretched out, in such a 
manner that the blow will shiver the bark, and, killing the squirrel 
by the concussion, send it whirling in the air to the ground, " as 
if it had bf<?n blown up by the explosion of a powder-magazine." 

This is a very artistic Avay of killing squirrels, and many of our 
Pennsylvania hunters are very expert at it. The skin is not in- 
jured, nor the flesh torn, by this mode of shooting. 

PLESII. 

The flesh of several varieties of squirrels is most excellent. 
They should be voided and kept several days in cold weather. 



358 lewis's amekican sportsman. 



SCIURUS MIGRATORIUS. MIGRATORY GRAY SQUIRRELS. 

DIMENSIONS. 

" An old male in winter pelage. inches, ltnes. 

Length of head and body 12 6 

" tail (vertebrsB) 11 

" tail to end of hair 14 

Height of ear 7 

" ear to end of fur 9 

Heel to end of longest nail 2 6 

Length of fur on the back 8 

Weight 1 pound 6 ounces." — Audubon. 

\ 
LOCALITY. 

This species is the common gray squirrel of the North ; it is 
found in considerable abundance throughout the wild districts of 
the Eastern States, and is very numerous in the mountainous 
regions of Pennsylvania, but does not exist farther south than the 
northern counties of Virginia. 

HABITS. 

The gray squirrel has few characteristics different from the 
whole genus as befoi'e described. 

They are much sought after as pets by our youth, as they bear 
confinement with great good-humor, and soon become quite recon- 
ciled to a captive's life. Although mild and gentle, they are rather 
uncertain in their disposition, and will at times bite their keepers 
very severely. This species was formerly so abundant in the 
agricultural districts of Pennsylvania that they committed great 
depredations by invading the grainfields. To such an extent was 
this havoc carried during the period of the early settlements, that 
an ancient law existed, offering a rcAvard of six cents for every 
squirrel destroyed ; and Audubon informs us that in the year 
1749 the bounty paid out of the treasury, in consequence of this 



THE SQUIRREL. 359 

enactment, was equivalent to 640,000 squirrels. Tins circum- 
stance alone will prove the amazing numbers of these active little 
animals. Even at the present time they are quite abundant in 
the less-cultivated districts of Pennsylvania; and it is no uncommon 
thing for a shooter to bring home a dozen or so, the result of a 
day's ramble through the dense forests. 

THEIR MIGRATIONS. 

During some seasons, in particular localities, squirrels, more 
especially the Sciurus migratorius, appear to be seized with an 
extraordinary desire to ramble or migrate from one section of 
country to another. Speaking of this peculiarity on the part of 
this species, Audubon remarks: — "It is stimulated either by 
scarcity of food, or by some other inexplicable instinct, to leave 
its native haunts, and seek for adventures or for food in some, to 
it, unexplored portion of our land." 

At such times they collect together in multitudes and move off 
in immense droves ; nothing can stop them in their onward 
progress, and they never hesitate to swim the Avidest rivers which 
intercept their march. Great numbers are necessarily drowned in 
these bold undertakings, as well as destroyed by their enemies. 

The circumstance of squirrels crossing rivers during their 
migration proves the indomitable energy of character that these 
active little creatures possess, as they are not at all partial to 
water in any form, and always keep within-doors during a storm ; 
and, if they should accidentally Avet or even soil their feet, they 
immediately stop to dry them by passing them through their bushy 
tails several times. 

Godman remarks on this subject: — "While travelling through 
the State of Ohio, in the autumn of 1822, we had an opportunity 
of witnessing something of this sort. Parts of the country ap- 
peared to swarm Avith squirrels, Avhich Avere so numerous that, in 
travelling along the highroad, they might be seen scampering in 
every direction ; the Avoods and fields might bo truly said, in the 
country-phrase, to be ' alive ivith them.'' A farmer Avho had a 



360 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

larjre field of Indian corn near tlie road informed us that, notwith- 
standino: the continued exertions of himself and his two sons, he 
feared he should lose the greater part of his crop, in addition to 
his time and the expense of ammunition used in killing and scaring 
off the little robbers. This man and his sons frequently took 
stations in different parts of the field, and killed squirrels until 
their guns became too dirty longer to be used with safety : yet 
they always found on returning that the squirrels had mustered as 
strongly as before." 

The following extract, taken from Porter, will also give a good 
idea of their numbers in Pennsylvania during a season of pler>ty : — 
" These pleasant little fellows are at some seasons as scarce as 
specie ; at other times they migrate in millions. A few seasons 
since, they pervaded the northern part of Pennsylvania to such 
an extent, and in such numbers, that they did serious injury to 
the crops ; and thej^ were slaughtered as enemies, — not popped over 
humanely after the manner in which we murder those we love. The 
squirrels were followed in due time by stately droves of turkeys; 
and, later in the season, the rear was brought up by scores of 
very serious half-famished-looking bears. A war of extermination 
was declared against the squirrels; and I am sorry to say that 
many overt acts of violence and bloodshed towards them preceded 
the formal declaration of hostility. A party of twenty-four, 
twelve on either side, all expert with the rifle, made a day's hunt, 
from sunrise to sunset, — the vanquished (that is, whichever side 
shot the fewer number of squirrels) to pay the forfeit of the best 
supper the town would afford, for all concerned ; and they slaugh- 
tered fifteen hundred and sixty-eight ! merely carrying the scalps 
to count with. A fe^y days afterwards, a party of the same num- 
ber went out, anxious to rival or eclipse the trophies of the first 
day, after having prepared themselves well, with clean guns, rifles 
of course, and all munition of war, their sights better regulated 
and their barrels better browned than those of the party who 
reaped the first day's victory ; and they brought in eighteen 
hundred and nineteen ! making about seventy-five apiece. One 



THE S Q U I RK E L. 



•361 



of the party in the last day's hunt shot one hundred and thirty- 
six, and that under unfavorahle circumstances, being dehiyed three 
hours, during the day, in getting a bullet up which he could not 
ram down." 

Further on the writer remarks again: — "We killed thirteen off 
one hickory-tree ; and they Avere busily coming and going to and 
from it all the time, perfectly regardless of what was goiny; on. 
xVll this immense importation of squirrels were either gray or black, 
and not one single fox-squirrel (which is common in Eiistern Penn- 
sylvania) was to be seen. During the whole afternoon it was 
nothing but loading and firing, until our rifle-barrels became so hot 
that we had to lay them doAvn occasionally to cool. The myriads 
of squirrels that are to be found on a few acres of favorable feed- 
ing-ground during the season of plenty is almost incredible to those 
Avho have never witnessed it. All the wholesale slaughter that was 
made during the season did not sensibly diminish their numbers ; 
for the rear of their countless army poured in and filled up the 
places of the slain faster than were closed the thinned ranks of 
Napoleon on the field of Waterloo." 




7^*^- 







CHAPTER XXVII. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 




USE OF GLOVES. 

LL sportsmen whose occupation or pro- 
fession makes it desirable that they should 
have white and smooth hands (and there 
are but few gentlemen whose employments 
do not require this) ought, ex necessitate 
' re7'um, to wear gloves when shooting, as 
nothing, to our eyes, looks more out'/ i. if 
not vulgar, than a coarse, scratched, and 
scarred hand. Not only from time im- 
memorial with the polished communities of the Old World, but even 
amono; the half-civilized inhabitants of other less-favored climes, a 
small, smooth, and delicate hand Avas, and is even at the present 
day, considered a special sign of nobility, or, at all events, re- 
garded as one of the most striking features or tests of gentle 
breeding, education, and reJBnement. This feeling, to a certain 
extent, exists even in our country ; and every intelligent sportsman, 

therefore, will understand our motives for calling his attention 
302 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 563 

to what may be considered, by the mass, a very trite and stilly 
matter. However, no one, we imagine, even among this class of 
fault-finders, independently of the mere looks of the thing, could 
offer any particular objection to the protecting of his hands from 
the rude contact of the piercing thorns and poisonous briers that 
overrun our forests. 

Old, half-Avoi-n kid gloves, that fit snugly but do not bind the 
hand, are the kind best adapted to this purpose. If the covering 
on the dexter-finger should interfere with the delicacy of touch so 
necessary for pulling the trigger, a portion of it should be removed. 
It will also be necessary oftentimes to relieve the stricture of the 
other fingers by making incisxons lengthwise into the gloves. 

GRASPING THE BARREL. 

Guns are now made so light, and withal bo beautifully balanced, 
that there no longer remains any necessity, Avhen presenting the 
piece, of stretching the left hand up the barrel to the extreme 
point of the stock ; but it should rather be grasped close to the 
guard, so that the hand may be protected as much as possible, in 
the event of its bursting, from some of those untoward accidents 
which occasionally occur even in the hands of the most skilful. This 
mode of holding the gun was adopted some few years back by 
English sportsmen, on account of the frequency of such accidents, 
owing entirely to the inferior manufacture of the barrels for small- 
arms. The bursting of barrels in England, however, at the present 
time, is a very unusual occurrence, owing to the improvements in 
the arts, or perhaps more to the enactments of Parliament regu- 
lating these things ; still, there are a great many Avorthless instru- 
ments imported into this country from abroad, which are constantly 
falling into the hands of every schoolboy, whose first lesson, there- 
fore, in the use of the gun, should be the proper mode of present- 
ing it, as there is no doubt but the hand is far more secure in this 
position than in any other. We have heard of several guns burst- 
ing during the last year or two, more particularly during the reed- 
bird season, and several of the parties escaped without the slightest 



364 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

injury, owing to this manner of holding the piece. If the hand, 
however, had been extended along the Avhole length of the stock, 
as formerly was the practice, we are satisfied, from actual examina- 
tion of the shattered Aveapons, two or three of them would have lost 
nearly the whole hand, and some of them perhaps have died of 
tetanus, brought on by the severity of their wounds. 

This plan of holding the gun cannot be so easily adopted by 
duck-shooters, as the length and weight of the barrels preclude the 
feasibility of rightly balancing the piece with the proper degree of 
steadiness without extending the hand farther along the barrel 
than the point of the guard. 

This is rather unfortunate, as we know of no kind of shooting 
in our country that is attended with so many distressing accidents 
as the pursuit of wild fowl ; and the most of these casualties arise 
from this one circumstance, — the bursting of the barrels, owing to 
heavy charging. We would therefore caution our friends against 
the use of a common duck-gun, and would also advise them to be 
particular in loading, as well as in keeping their person out of the 
bursting-range of a suspicious weapon in the hands of some one of 
their more reckless companions, who perhaps prides himself on 
being knocked over at every discharge of his piece. If the gun 
is not already too heavy for comfort, it may be rendered more 
manageable by loading the butt with metal, so as to make it 
balance in the hands with more ease. 

COCKING THE GUN. 

In most kinds of shooting we are in favor of carrying the gun 
cocked in preference to half-cocked, for the following reasons ; — In 
partridge-shooting, as before stated, the most of our hunting is 
done in the thick coverts, and when the birds are scattered about 
it is impossible to tell where or when they will get up, as the dog 
is lost to view one-half of his time, and the first intimation we have 
of his position, although within a few rods of us, is the whirring of 
a bird from under our very nose, and of which we only catch a 
glimpse in the distance as it rushes through the thick foliage or 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 36,'^ 

hanging vines. This opportune moment must be instantly caught 
at by the sportsman, or the game escapes ; and we are convinced 
thai no one, no matter how expert or ready he may be, can find 
sufficient time to cock his gun and fire in this short space of time. 
In snipe and woodcock-shooting it is also better to carry the gun 
cocked, as the game is so uncertain in its movements. And on the 
score of prudence, we would apprehend more danger from a com- 
panion cocking his gun on the springing of a bird behind him than 
if he were to have the piece already prepared to fire, as in the 
hurry and excitement of the moment he might not pull tlic cock 
sufficiently far back to make it catch tlie tumbler, and the conse- 
quence of this omission would be the discharge of the piece on a 
level with one's head, or perhaps the death of a valuable dog. 

The gun, however, as before stated, should always be held in 
such a position that, no matter when or how exploded, its contents 
can do no mischief save the killing of a bird; and we would be 
loath to shoot in company a second time with any one who seemed 
thoughtless or hardy upon this subject, as life is too precious to be 
placed in jeopardy on every shooting-excursion. 

"WADDING. 

Patent wadding, or rather patent wads, have come so generally 
into use, and are so well known to all our shooters, that it Avould 
seem a waste of time to say any thing on the subject. These wads 
are made of a species of thick, elastic, porous pasteboard, and are 
numbered from one to twenty, so as to fit the bore of every de- 
scription of gun. They are put up in boxes of from one hundred 
to three hundred, and are very convenient, compact, and serviceable. 

Those living at a distance from the city had better always be 
provided with a "punch" for cutting wads, so that in case of need, 
or for economy's sake, they can be cut out of an old hat or stiff 
pasteboard or leather. 

If the "punch" be of good metal, a thick, heavy piece of lead 
with a smooth surface can be used to cut the waddings on, without 
injury to the instrument ; a piece of hard-grained wood, however, 



366 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

will ansAver the same purpose, and perhaps be more easily obtained. 
There is a species of metallic Avads sold by the gunsmiths for the 
purpose of cleansing the gun Avhen clogged dui-ing an excursion; 
they are made large for the bore of the barrel for which they are 
intended to be employed, and, as they fit very tight, are rammed 
home with some degree of force. As they are pushed down the 
barrel, they necessarily scrape from the inside all the dirt and 
leading before them, which, being thus collected together in a mass 
on the top of the powder, is expelled at the next discharge of the 
piece. These wads will be found A^ery useful under some circum- 
stances, and will prevent, in some degree, the barrels from be- 
coming uncomfortably clogged or leaded, although they cannot 
relieve the chambers at all, Avhich, by-the-by, is the most important 
point to be cleansed. Nothing, however, Avill effectually do this 
save the free use of water. 

There are various other kinds of Avadding to be obtained at the 
gunsmith's, all of Avhich, hoAVCA'cr, we consider inferior, — at all 
events, no better than the common patent paper wads in general 
use, Avhich are cheap, convenient, and safe. 

The Avadding over the poAvder should be forced doAA-n with con- 
siderably more violence than the one placed over the shot, so as to 
drive the poAvder into the chambers and nipple-hole and mould it 
into a compact form. If the wadding over the shot be forced down 
too hard, there will be a considerable recoil AA'hen the piece is dis- 
charged; this of itself will soon teach the novice better. When 
loading one barrel, never put the ramrod into the other ; for if a 
shot or tAvo by chance should slip down on the side of the rod, it 
will be very apt to become Avedged in Avhen we attempt to withdraw 
it. We have known this accident to happen more than once ; and 
we can assure our friends that if it should occur Avith them they 
will be bothered not a little, more particularly if they do not know 
the proper plan to pursue in the dilemma. As soon as we dis- 
cover that a ramrod is thus wedged in the barrel, we must arrest 
our efforts to draw it out by main force, as t'nis is impossible ; we 
should turn the muzzle downwards, and press the rod on the 



M I S C E L L ^\ \ E U S HINTS. 307 

charge as forcibly as possible, and tlic sliot -will discn;Tap;o its'jlf 
from the sides of the barrel and roll out. This will not so easily 
take place if we have been tugging and pulling at the rod suffi- 
ciently long to mash the shot up into a flattened mass; but even 
then it is the only plan to be pursued. It will be necessary, in 
some cases, to give the ramrod a few gentle taps Avith a small 
stick of wood to make it go down far enough to disengage uself 
from the shot. 

When one barrel is discharged, it will be more prudent when 
loading again to try the ramrod on the wadding of the other bar- 
rel, as the concussion of the first discharge is apt to loosen, if not 
move, the wad a trifle from the shot ; and if this were the case 
there would be a greater tendency in the barrel to burst at the 
next fire. We have never found that the concussion from one 
single discharge was sufficient to loosen and throw the wad off" the 
shot of the other barrel far enough to do any injury ; nor do we 
think that such could be the case Avith a small fowling-piece, al- 
though it might happen with a weapon of much larger calibre, — a 
duck-gun, for example, particularly if slightly rammed and heavily 
charged. We, however, for prudence' sake, are in the habit of 
sounding the loaded barrel after every discharge, provided the 
two are not fired in rapid succession. 

I say that I am accustomed to sound the other barrel for pru- 
dence sake, and would recommend all my friends to do the same, 
as it ip well to accustom one's self to this practice ; otherwise we 
may not think of it, even after firing the right-hand barrel four or 
five times before discharging the left, as all young shooters and 
even old are too apt to do ; and in this case the repeated concussions 
may have moved the wad up the barrel several inches, which cir- 
cumstance might occasion the bursting of the gun, owing to the 
thinness of the barrel as it nears the muzzle. At all events, as 
said before, an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." 

This accident, however, is much less liable to occur than one 
might at first suppose, more particularly after the barrel has been 
used a few times, as the fouling and leading of the gun are always 



308 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

greater just at the point, or rather a little above, where tho wad is 
placed over the shot, and of course assists very materially in keep- 
ing the charge home. 

We have generally been in the habit of slightly anointing our 
wads, before using, with sweet-oil ; it certainly prevents the bar- 
rels from so quickly becoming foul, and may be of service other- 
wise. The best plan to do this is to empty a portion of the wads 
out of a full box, and then pour a few drops of oil on the remain- 
der and shake them up thoroughly for a few moments, when their 
edges will be found pretty generally anointed.* 

We Avere induced this season to make a trial of some French 
wads, made of a species of coarse elastic felt, covered with a thin, 
partially -glazed white paper, but Avere not pleased with them for 
several reasons. Firstly, the felting Avas not sufficiently stiff to 
prcA'ent the wad from turning occasionally in the barrel while 
being pushed down. Secondly, the felt being of a coarse, spongy, 
elastic consistency, and withal nearly a quarter of an inch thick, 
it required some experience to decide exactly Avhen it Avas driA^en 
ho)ne on top of the powder ; and we more than once inadA^ertently 
rammed the powder entirely too tight, and a smart recoil Avas the 
result. Thirdly, the paper that coA'ers each side of the wad, much 
to our astonishment, has a slight coat of glazing on it, which rubs 
or peels off, and not only dirties the gun, but really scratches the 
surface of the barrels. This paper, which adds considerably to 
the stiffness of the wad, — in fact, almost constitutes its whole firm- 
ness, — is merely stuck on the felt by a weak glue or paste ; and the 
consequence is that it gets loose in the pocket and drops off, there- 
by rendering the wad perfectly unmanageable. We might urge 
other objections, but we suppose the above will be sufficient to in- 
duce our readers to avoid them. 

The old style of paper wadding is entirely inadmissible in this 
age of improvement ; and in some sections of country the farmers 
v,-ill net permit any one to shoot over their grounds who makes ase 

* AVads can be purchased with their edges already anointed. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 369 

of paper wadding, for fear of setting fire to the brushwood, or 
parched grass, during a drought. 




*i* "^^i,- 



PATENT WASHER, OR WASniNQ-RGD. 

The patent washer, with all its various paraphernalia, is a very 
useful article, and should never be omitted from the sportsman's 
catalogue. It is not only useful for washing the gun, but may be 
used often very advantageously in the field for cleaning or rather 
unloading the barrels which have become clogged up by repeated 
firing. The instrument to be attached to the washer for loosening 
the particles of lead adhering to the sides of the barrels is called 
a bnisJi, and, being made of brass wire, or of some other metal 
softer than that of the gun, it may be used with perfect freedom, 
without fear of injuring the barrels, as some erroneously suppose, 
by scratching them. If the sportsman be accompanied to the field 
by a marker, we would advise by all means to send along with him 
a patent washing-rod and a wire brush ; in fact, the weight is so 
trifling, and the inconvenience of carrying the instrument when 
separated into its three distinct parts is so very inconsiderable, 
that we would suggest that every shooter who goes out for a regular 
day's sport should slip one into his pocket, and its opportune ser- 
vice some time or another Avill amply repay him for all his trouble. 

POWDER-FLASKS. 

It is useless to spend time in the consideration of all the various 

kinds of powder-flasks now and formerly in use, but we will merely 

remark that those made of copper, zinc, or German silver, and so 

arranged that the portion of powder necessary for a load is entirely 

cut oS" when being introduced into the barrel from the mass of 

powder remaining in the flask, are the only kind of instruments 

21 



370 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

which are recognised at present, and very properly so, as many 
terrible accidents have happened from the use of those of inferior 
construction. The explosion of powder-flasks is not an unusual 
circumstance, but we may say a matter of weekly occurrence, 
during the season of reed-birds and blackbirds in our neighborhood. 
These explosions are owing entirely to the inferior quality of many 
of the flasks that are sold in our city. The springs soon get out 
of order, and the connection between the mass and the intended 
charge is no longer complete ; and, if the gun be overheated, as is 
frequently the case in quick shooting, or, what is more probable, if 
a particle of ignited wad should remain in the gun, an explosion is 
sure to take place and the flask be blown from the grasp into a 
thousand pieces, perhaps carrying a finger or two along with it, and 
otherwise disfiguring and dangerously mutilating the sportsman. 
We have been present at two accidents of this kind, and hope 
never to see the like again ; in one case, two fingers and a portion 
of the thumb were carried away, the side of the face laid open from 
the temple down to the corner of the mouth, and the right eye torn 
almost entirely from its socket. In both instances the flasks were 
out of order, and the connection between the charger and the body 
of the flask was very incomplete. 

The flask we use is the one invented, we believe, by Mr. Sykes, 
an Englishman, and is the only one we consider safe beyond a 
doubt. It is a little more troublesome at first, perhaps ; but the 
hand will soon become expert in the management of it, and then 
we are satisfied that no sportsman would desire to use any other 
kind, seeing the perfect safety and convenience of the invention. 
As the construction of this flask will be better understood from a 
drawing than by any description which we can give of it, we pre- 
sent one on the following page. 

This flask costs but a trifle, if any, more than the other kind, 
and is the most perfect of all in its construction. It is hardly 
necessary to describe the method of its operating, as every one at 
a glance of the drawing will understand it. The neck of the 
charg^er should be so formed that, by sliding upon itself, two or 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 371 

three different quantities of powder can be measured out, to suit 
the capacities of different guns. The size of the flask must of 
course be regulated by the amount of shooting to be done. The 
one we use will hold very nearly a pound of powder ; and we 
doubt very much whether these flasks Avere ever made of a larger 
size, except when particularly ordered for wild-fowl shooting, or 
other purposes of a similar nature. We are, however, in favor of 
a small flask, for convenience as well as safety, even if we are 
forced to replenish it several times during a day's shooting. We 
seldom or never more than half fill ours ; but when we have no 
marker along to carry extra ammunition, and hope to enjoy a fine 
day's sport, we are tempted to fill it to the brim. The dampness, 
or rather the salt air, of the sea-shore, is very apt to disarrange 
the spring or screw of these flasks, and it consequently requires 
our particular attention ; a little oil or mercurial ointment applied 
to it will prevent the accumulation of rust. 




ONE BARREL USED MORE THAN THE OTHER. 

The right barrel, in the hands of all sportsmen, is used more 
frequently than the left, and consequently in old guns is generally 
found to be far thinner than the left. This habit ought to be 
avoided as much as possible, and the novice should accustom him- 
self to pull the trigger of the left-hand barrel with the same 
facility that he does the right. 



372 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



SHOT-BAGS OR POUCHES. 

The old style of shot-bag, strung around the neck, with its brass 
charger attached, is entirely ruled out of the catalogue of sport- 
ing apparatus, and is now seldom seen, except in the hands of 
some old-fashioned country sporting friend, who still fondly clings 
to the antiquated notions and prejudices of his forefathers. This 
bag has given place to the more convenient and more likely-look- 
ing leather pouch, which can be stowed away in the pocket, and, 
though containing several pounds of shot, lies so snugly in its 
place as scarcely to be felt about the person. The charger at- 
tached to it is made of brass or steel; the latter is preferable, and 
we will explain in a moment our reasons for this preference. The 
charger attached to the mouth of the pouch has a spring handle to 
it, which governs the movements of the two small sliding-doors that 
control the flow of shot from the pouch into the gun, or rather 
measures out the proper quantity for a load. When this spring is 
pressed upon and the pouch everted, with the mouth of the charger 
inserted into the muzzle of the piece, the forward slide is raised up 
and the inner slide is pressed down ; the shot consequently between 
these two slides enters the gun ; the finger now being raised from 
the spring or handle, the forward or upper slide resumes its position, 
and the inner floodgate is open for the egress of the shot when 
the pouch is everted. 

The construction of this pouch is so simple and well known that 
we fear lest Ave have wasted time in the description. What we 
wished to say in reference to the superiority of the steel charger 
over the brass one is, however, somewhat connected with this 
description, and is nothing more nor less than that the brass 
charger, being made of a much softer metal, is very apt to get out 
of order from rough usage or from catching in the bushes and 
briers. We on one occasion were greatly annoyed and incon- 
venienced by this very accident, and therefore are particular in 
dwelling upon it. In getting over a fence in somewhat of a hurry, 
the top of the charger struck against the upper rail, and the 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 372 

landle became so bent from the violence of the blow that neither 
Df the slides would work, and we were forced to pour the shot into 
our hand and guess at the proper load during the balance of the 
day, greatly to our annoyance. 

If the charger had been made of steel, this could not have 
happened. 

The size or capacity of the shot-bag will of course correspond 
to that of the powder. The slides attached to the charger are so 
constructed that they can be adjusted to regulate the flow of shot 
to any desired quantity. We on one occasion lost our powder- 
flask from our pocket, when a long distance from quarters and sur- 
rounded by birds, and, to make the matter more provoking, imme- 
'diately after encountered a large covey, into which we determined 
to fire a raking cross-shot, in hope of killing several birds, by way 
of making up our count and thus solacing ourselves under the 
afflicting loss ; but, strange to say, after fixing ourselves in the 
very best position for a raking shot, we banged away and did not 
bring down a single partridge. Since this mishap, we have been 
in the habit of attaching by a small green Avorsted cord both our 
powder-flask and shot-pouch to our person. The buttonhole of 
the game-pocket, on either side, will be found the most convenient 
place to attach the cord. When going through thick cover with our 
powder and shot secured in this way, we feel perfectly easy about 
them, as Ave know that if by any chance they should be pulled out 
of their place Ave would immediately feel them dangling from oui 
person long before the cord could be broken. 

PERCUSSION CAPS. 

Great quantities of French and German caps are consumed in 
America, not because they are superior to the English, but on the 
score of cheapness. These caps are generally inferior to the 
English, and they can be had of excellent quality by paying a 
little extra for them ; but even then they are not equal to those 
made by the celebrated manufacturers of England. 

The English caps of approved make are much larger and stronger 



3T4 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

than tlie best French, and Avhen exploded split with an even and 
regular fracture, without flying, as is often the case with the 
highest-priced French caps. Nothing is more annoying, and even 
dangerous, than the use of caps made of metal so thin and brittle 
that at every displosion they are torn into several small pieces, 
which fly about into the hands, and even cut the face or perhaps 
lodge in the eye. Several of our acquaintances have had narrow 
escapes from losing their eyes by the use of these miserable arti- 
cles, and we ourself have had our hands cut more than once when 
forced to use them. 

The composition of fulminating powder now used in caps is not 
as corrosive in its properties as formerly, and is, therefore, less 
objectionable. At first, large quantities of sulphur were used in 
the manufacture of cap-po-wder, which of course made the com- 
position very corroding to every portion of the gun it came in 
contact with ; at present, the tubes or chambers of the fowiing- 
piece suffer but little from this drug, as its use has been almost 
entirely abandoned. When Ave say "abandoned," Ave do not Avish 
to be understood that this corrosive poAvder is no longer employed 
in the manufacture of cheap caps, for sixch is not the case ; but, 
on the contrary, nearly all those caps Avhich come from the Con- 
tinent, both German and French, are made Avith a mixtiu-e of 
chlorate of potash, sulphur, and charcoal, and are therefore hurtful 
to every portion of the gun they come in contact with. The filling 
of the caps Avith this kind of poAvder is the principal reason Avhy 
they can be sold so cheap. The best English caps, and even those 
of a far inferior make, are filled Avith fulminating poAvder made 
from the action of nitric acid upon mercury. This composition is 
far more expensiA^e than the other, but is far superior in many 
points. In the first place, it does not corrode the fowling-pieces ; 
in the next place, it does not attract moisture like the other, and 
will explode even after being in the AA^ater for several hours. It 
detonates Avith more ease but greater force than the other, and is 
not affected by a damp atmosphere. 

Gold and silver, Avhen exposed to the action of strong acids, 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 375 

1 will also produce a powerful fulminating powder, but of course 

i 'would be too expensive for general use, even if that obtained from 

1 mercury did not answer. Caps, no matter how good they may be, 

: should be kept free from moisture ; for if once wet, or even damp, 

, if not of very superior make, they are of course rendered more or 

I less uncertain in their action. They should fit the nipple exactly • 

for, if they be too small, they will be apt to fly off when the fir^ 

barrel is discharged, or drop off while carrying the piece ; neither 

i will they always explode on the first blow of the hammer if they 

are not well down upon the pivot. 

Walker's caps are considered the best article imported for gene- 
ral use. They are put up in small round tin boxes, and numbered 
in accordance with their size. An English author very justly 
remarks of these particular caps: — "I have used several thousands 
of them, and never found one fail." Such has been our experience, 
and we recommend them above all others. 

Percussion caps entirely water-proof can also be had. They 
were introduced several years since, and for some kinds of shoot- 
ing are very necessary and serviceable. These caps. are simply 
protected from the effects of moisture and even Avater itself by a 
species of impermeable varnish ; those of superior make may re- 
main in water for many hours without being in the least injured. 
For wild-fowl shooting they possess incalculable advantages over 
the ordinary cap, and a stock of them should be laid in, in antici- 
pation of a prolonged shooting-excursion in the wilds of the 
West.* 




* A slip from the N'ew York Spirit of the Times: — 

SUBSTITUTE FOE PERCUSSION CAPS. 

A London paper sayjs : — " Jlr. Pepper is lecturing at the Polytechnic on a now 
composition recently discovered by Messrs. Wiuniwarter and Gersheim, of Vienna, 



3T6 LEAVIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

CAP-CIIARGERS. 

Cap-chargers are seldom or never used by sportsmen, it being so 
much more expedient to carry the caps in a side-pocket appro- 
priated to that purpose. These chargers, however, are very inge- 
nious and pretty instruments, and enable the shooter to tell at a 
glance how many shots he has fired in the course of a day's ex- 
cursion, which is often interesting and instructive. 

There are several different kinds of cap-chargers in use. Some 
are made round, some long; the former are the more preferable, 
as they are more convenient, not only to carry, but to handle. 
There is also a variety of charger invented with a dial-plate 
attached, the indicator of Avhich exhibits at a glance the number 
of shots fired. 

THE NIPPLE, OR PIVOT, 

The orifice of the nipple should be large and countersunk, so 
that the contents of the cap, when ignited, may be easily driven 
into the chamber of the gun; when the pivot-hole or barrel is 
large, it is far less liable to foul or choke up, which is frequently 
the case when very small. The exterior edge should be rounded 
off, so that the cap. when struck by the hammer, may be exploded 
without cutting. Pivots are made either plain or with small rings 
running around them, somewhat similar to the tlireading of a 



"patent gun-primers," which claim to supersede the ordinary percussion cap. 
The peculiar features of these "gun-primers" are — first, the absence of a metallic 
coat or cover, and their uniform explosive power; the materials being so amalga- 
mated that no residue is left behind after detonation. The materials are composed of 
fulminating mercury, chlorate of potash, and sulphide of antimony, — the dangerous 
properties of the ingredients being subdued or diminished by the application of 
cjUodion, which is used as a cement. The primers are manufactured in various 
shapes, and the composition is moulded into any required form, dried, and then 
covered with a film of varnish and a bronze-powder. Thus, whatever may be the 
shape of the pellet, it is entirely formed of detonating material, and the use of the 
ordinary copper cap is wholly dispensed with, whilst the collodion acts as a water- 
proof varnish, and protects the component parts from the action of moisture. 
The invention is one which must claim the attention of the military and nav.al 
authorities. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 377 

screw; this arrangement is intended to hold the cap more secure 
when placed upon it. 

THE COCK, STRIKER, OR HAMMER. 

It is of the utmost importance that the centre of the hammer- 
head should fall directly on the centre of the nipple, and thus, by 
an even, regular blow, explode the cap; if slovenly made in this 
respect, a second blow will be very often requisite before ignition 
takes place. 

The head of the striker should always be made tubular, — that is, 
surrounded with a rim, guard, or nose ; and this nose should never 
be made open in front, as is too often the case. This opening is 
of no use whatever, .save to allow particles of caps to fly out into 
one's hands and eyes ; whereas, if the nose is perfectly uniform 
all around, the cap becomes entirely enclosed when the explosion 
takes place, and it is utterly impossible for a single fragment of 
the cap to escape. 

It is very seldom that the recoil occasioned by the detonation of 
a cap is sufiiciently powerful to throw the hammer up. If such, 
however, should be the case, it has been proposed to have the 
mainspring made adequately strong to prevent this accident. As 
a still greater protection to the eyes from the fragments of the 
shattered caps, the hammer is usually made with a circular rim at 
the point where the nose joins the head, and the whole is still 
further guarded by "a hreeching-ivall elevation." 

CARTRIDGES. 

Of lat<e years, cartridges are very extensively used by sports- 
men, and have proved of immense advantage in many kinds of 
shooting ; in fact, some of our friends use them altogether on every 
variety of game, and pronounce their general introduction the 
most happy thought of the age. Cartridges are very simple in 
their construction, and can be made by the sportsman himself or 
any of the younger members of his family, or, what is better, can 
be purchased for a trifle of the gunsmith in any reasonable quan- 



378 lewis's amekican sportsman. 

tity at a few hours' notice. The process for making them is as 
follows : — Having procured a round plug of wood about four 
inches long, perfectly cylindrical and two or three sizes smaller 
than the bore of the gun, a few sheets of strong pliable paper, 
together with a quantity of thin-cut waddings and a convenient 
measure for the shot, we commence operations as follows: — The 
paper is first cut into pieces of the proper dimensions for holding 
the shot, which of course Avill be regulated by the size of the gun 
and our previous experience. This being done, we place ourself 
before a table with every thing convenient around us ; a wad is 
now grasped by the left index-finger and thumb, and placed 
against the inner extremity of the cartridge-roller, and there held 
by the finger and thumb of the right hand ; one of the cartridge- 
papers is now put under the roller, with suiBcient of its surface 
extending beyond the roller, say half an inch, as, when folded 
upon itself, as hereafter to be described, will make a tight cylin- 
der. The paper, wad, and roller, all being arranged as above 
described, by a rapid and dexterous movement of the hand the roller 
is forced to turn in an even and regular manner over the surface 
of the table, carrying the paper along with it, which is made to 
encircle the roller as tightly as possible. The projecting por- 
tion of the jDaper is now folded snugly upon the wadding at the 
end of the roller, and the forming of the cylinder finished by 
raising the roller and giving the end of it a smart tap or two on 
the table, by way of pressing the folds more securely together. 
The next movement is to withdraw the roller from the cylinder, 
leaving the wadding at the bottom to strengthen it ; the shot is 
then poured into the cylinder from the measure already agreed 
upon, and, after being well shaken down, another wadding is placed 
over it, and the projecting edges of the paper folded tightly down. 
By this process we will have the proper load of shot in a close, 
compact, and convenient form, which may be carried in the pocket 
loosely, or in small packages of fives and tens. When the fingers 
once become familiar with the handling of the implements neces- 
sary for making cartridges, the quantity that can be put up in the 



I MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 379 

j 

I course of an hour by one person is astonishing. In making car- 

' triJges for duck-guns, it will be necessary to use stouter paper 
I than that used for partridge-shooting ; and, to make them hold the 
, additional weight of shot more securely, the edges of the paper, 
' when being folded down, may be touched with a solution of 

gum-tragacanth. 
I Having given directions for the making of cartridges, it is now 
the proper time to say something in reference to their merits, or 
rather their claims over the ordinary way of loading. 

In general shooting, there is no doubt in our mind but that 
shot-cartridges are a very useful invention, and that much greater 
numbers of birds can be killed with them than in the ordinary style 
of pouring the shot into the gun. In the first place, we can load 
with so much more facilitv that, in some kinds of shootino;, we 
have greatly the advantage. For example, in rail and reed-bird 
shooting, or even in wild-fowl shooting, Avhen the ducks are flying 
as fast perhaps as we can load, the one that loads the fastest will 
of course get the greater number of shots and the most birds. 

In the second place, the shot thrown from a cartridge will be 
carried in a much more compact form to a distance of ten or fifteen 
yards farther than by the old method of loading. This being the 
case, it is reasonable to conclude that a much larger proportion of 
long shots will be successful than when the shot is projected from 
the gun in a loose state, and consequently when the game is wild 
will be of immense advantage. In close shooting, cartridges have 
no advantage over the old style of loading, — in fact, are not so 
certain in their effect, — as the shot, being carried in a compact mass 
for a considerable distance, requires the same deadly aim for a near 
object as if a ball was to be fired out of a gun, and not a hundred 
pellets of shot ; and even if the bird should be struck at this 
distance the probability is that it would be torn in pieces, — at all 
events, dreadfully mangled. These are the only inconveniences 
arising from the use of cartridges such as we have described; all 
of which, however, may be entirely done aAvay with by charging 
one barrel with loose shot and the other with a cartridge, or by 



3S0 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

shooting deliberately, — that is, waiting till the bird gets at a proper 
distance before firing. Either of these plans will obviate all the 
difficulties. 

In pigeon-shooting matches, cartridges are far superior to loose 
shot; and one of the best pigeon-shooters among our friends in- 
formed us that, at a match contested by him and some others of 
our acquaintance a few days since, the only two birds which he 
missed were those fired at with loose shot. This experience cer- 
tainly is very strong in favor of the cartridges. In fact, so much 
superior are plain shot-cartridges considered to loose pellets, that 
their use has been ruled out of pigeon-matches pretty generally. 

In wild-fowl shooting, as before stated, shot-cartridges made of 
strong paper are of great advantage, and the distance at Avhich Eley's 
patent wire cartridges will kill is almost incredible. We have seen 
canvas-backs killed with a small partridge-gun loaded with wire 
cartridges at a height that would seem to preclude the possibility 
of reaching them even with a larcre duck-gun. 

Eley's patent cartridges are a most excellent invention. The shot 
is enclosed in a thin sheet of wire gauze, which of course will not 
burst so soon as the paper frame, and consequently will carry its 
contents much farther in a mass, and therefore for general close 
shooting they are more objectionable than our home-made ones. In 
wild-fowl, squirrel, deer, or even grouse-shooting, wire cartridges 
will be found to be of incalculable advantage; and the only objec- 
tion to be urged against them in these cases is their expensiveness. 

When using paper cartridges, it is more necessary to examine 
the state of the second barrel after the discharge of the first than 
when using loose shot, as paper cartridges are more apt to loosen 
and move up the barrel than when loose shot has a tight-fitting 
wadding put over it ; this danger, however, may be obviated by 
placing a wadding over the cartridge, and in this way it will be 
doubly secure. 

Paper cartridges are used very extensively in rail-shooting, 
owing to the facility of loading with them, o,nd also from their 
being; less liable to lead the barrels than the loose shot. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 381 

Some persons are in the liabit of pasting the edges of their 
cartridges with a trifle of gum arabic or tragacanth. We do 
not suppose this plan to be of any special benefit, except where 
very large shot is used for some particular kind of shooting. 
Pasting partridge or rail-cartridges is worse than useless, as the 
gum will make tlic barrels sticky after repeated firing, and conse- 
quently they will become dirty much sooner than if they were made 
without the paste; and, to say the least of it, rolling them in 
this way will give much additional labor, without a corresponding 
advantage. 

SPRIN(3-C11AMP. 

It is Avell for sportsmen to bo provided with a spring-cramp for 
the purpose of removing the mainspring of the lock if it should 
become too weak, or, if broken, to replace it by another. When 
using this instrument, care should be had not to cramp the spring 
more than is absolutely necessary to place it in its proper position, 
or its elasticity might be injured by the unusual pressure. Before 
applying the cramp to the spring, it is necessary to put the lock 
on full cock ; then, if the hammer be let down, the mainspring will 
f:ill out. 



POWDER AND SHOT GAUGE. 

This Utile afi"air is a very useful and simple contrivance, and the 
possession of it will save the sportsman, at times, much trouble 
and speculation as to the correct loading of his gun. 

We are somewhat at a loss how to speak of this instrument, lest 
we may perplex our readers without making the description suffi- 
ciently lucid for their comprehension, when a single glance at the 
gauge itself would clear up the whole difficulty. We will there- 



382 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

fore preface our remarks by stating that this cunning little 
machine is intended to proportion the charge of powder to a cer- 
tain measure or weight of shot. 

It is a general rule among sportsmen to use the same bulk of 
powder as shot ; that is, to have the charger of the powder-flask so 
graded that it will just hold the usual charge of shot. This, to-be- 
sure, is very easily arranged ; but then it is often necessary, at all 
events very satisfactory, to know the exact weight of both pow^r 
and shot that a gun shoots well with ; all this, then, may be got at 
in a moment of time by the use of this instrument. 

The gauge is formed of two brass cylinders eleven-sixteenths of 
an inch in diameter and three and three-quarter inches in length, 
one fittincf or sliding Avithin the other ; the inner one is solid at 
each end, and has a gauge of weights cut on its surface, somewhat 
similar to those seen on the glass measures used by apothecaries. 
On one side, extending the whole length of the cylinder, is the 
grading for weighing the shot, from one-fourth ounce to three 
ounces; on the other side is the grading for determining the weight 
of like proportions of powder, from one-fourth drachm to seven 
drachms. 

When we wish to ascertain the weight of a certain proportion of 
shot, all that is necessary is to lay hold of the rim that encircles 
the end of the inner cylinder and pull it (the cylinder) out suffi- 
ciently to leave space enough between the top of the outer cylinder 
and the end of the inner cylinder, which is now withdrawn from 
within the outer one, so as to create the requisite vacuum for the 
shot to be measured or weighed. 

This being accomplished, the divisions of the grading cut on the 
cylinder will show not only the required weight of the shot, but 
also the exact weight of the same bulk of powder. 

This instrument is not, of course, as precise as a pair of fine 
scales, but nevertheless is sufficiently correct for all ordinary pur- 
poses. From the operations of this gauge we have ascertained 
that one ounce of shot will fill the same space as two drachms and. 
three-eighths of powder; one ounce and a half of shot, within a 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 383 

fraction of a space equal to three and a half drachms ; two ounces, 
within a fraction equal to four drachms and three-quarters ; three 
ounces, within a fraction equal to seven drachms; and so on. 

NIPPLE OR PIVOT-WRENCII. 

This h a very useful and necessary implement : indeed, no 
sportsmaji can consider himself properly equipped without one. 
A^e have had several different kinds in the past few years, but 
never had one till very lately that seemed to answer our purpose 
in all respects. This Avrench is made entirely of Avhat is termed 
wrought steel, and, having a transverse handle to it similar to a 
metal gimlet, a powerful purchase can be had on the shoulder 
of the nipple, insomuch that, when applied with the requisite force, 
the nipple must come out .or the shoulder must yield and break off. 
On either end of the handle of the wrench is a small brass cap, 
nicely fitted on and forming a continuation of the handle ; on screw- 
ing this off, an extra nipple will be found in each ; and on the top of 
the handle, running down into the body of the wrench, is a neat, 
brass-headed gun-picker. These caps and picker not only give a 
handsome finish to the wrench, but add very materially to its im- 
portance. 

Wrenches made with wooden handles are not generally good for 
much, as the nipples frequently get rusted in the gun, and it then 
requires a very powerful force to start them, which cannot be ap- 
plied except Avith a wrench having a transverse metal handle. "We 
have suffered from this inconvenience more than once, and have 
seen others in the same predicament. The wooden handle is also 
liable to be cracked or broken ; it also takes up far more room 
than the metal one, which, upon the whole, is smaller, stronger, 
and neater. 

The wrenches having their handles so formed that they fold 
up on the body of the instrument are certainly very convenient 
for the pocket, but they are not so strong as the kind above 
referred to. 



384 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



SPORTING-KNIFE. 

Tliei'e is nothing, at times, more useful than a sporting-knife, 
which comprises all the requisites for probing, examining locks, 
dividing luncheon, &c. &:c. The knife should not be too large or 
complicated, but only contain those instruments which maj at some 
time or another prove useful ; for instance, it should not be defi- 
cient in a probe, a pivot-picker, a nipple-Avrench, a turn-screw, a 
fleam for bleeding dogs, and one, perhaps, for horses also, as thia 
noble animal is so frequently a necessary accompaniment to a 
shooting-trip that we should be provided with means to preserve 
his well-being in case of need ; for instance, if he should be at- 
tacked with a fit of blind staggers, or any other aifcction requiring 
bleeding. 

Such knives can be obtained at the gunsmiths' or fancy sporting 
stores, and should be as plain as possible in its appearance, and 
valuable for its intrinsic worth. If one-half or two-thirds of the 
price of the instrument is expended upon the finishing and carving 
of the handle or other fancy work, we cannot expect to find good 
metal in the blades. 

CARRYING GAME. 

The old-fashioned, cumbersome game-bag is now entirely out of 
use, and all kinds of game are carried in pockets appropriated to 
that purpose in the shooting-coat, of which we will speak more 
particularly under another head. 

Before putting birds in the pocket, their feathers should be 
smoothed down ; and, if the sportsman takes pride in the appear- 
ance of his game, the blood ought to be wiped from their plumnge 
before it becomes hard and congealed. 

GUNNING-CLOTHES. 

Fustian undoubtedly makes the most serviceable coat for field- 
shooting in these latitudes, and, although entirely of cotton fabric. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 385 

is quite warm enough for all kinds of sport, even in the coldest 
weather, provided we are in motion. 

A coat made of this material is rather warm and heavy for late 
snipe-shooting or cock-shooting, as the texture of the cloth is so 
very close that it will hardly permit of the passage of the insen- 
sible perspiration from the body. For this latter kind of work we 
prefer a brown linen coat. 

A fustian coat has an important advantage over all kinds of 
woollen articles, that it does not offer a harbor for moths during 
the idle season; and, moreover, having very little or no nap, it 
neither catches the briers so easily nor gets torn by the twigs or 
thorns. 

"VYe never had but one woollen shooting-coat ; and that was fairly 
torn to pieces in one season, and the remnants eaten up the follow- 
ing summer by the moths. 

The pants and vest should all be made of the same material, 
and have a suflScient quantity of pockets for all purposes. Our 
suit contains sixteen pockets, and we find them all more or less 
luseful. The cap had likeAvise better be made of fustian : it will 
prove warm, strong, and in a measure water-proof; it should 
have a large front to protect the eyes, and a back to put down 
at pleasure, to turn the rain off from the neck and shoulders. 
A cap made after this style is called by the cap-makers the 
Napoleon cap. 

The cap we use has no lining in it, and we find it quite warm 

enough without it for most kinds of shooting; if the weather, 

however, is very cold and boisterous during wild-fowl shooting, we 

place a quilted lining in the crown, which makes it as comfortable 

as need be. The fustian coat will not answer for wild-fowl shoot- 

mg, as it is not sufficiently warm. Nothing but wool will do for 

this purpose, — to preserve which, in the summer season, from the 

annoying attacks of the moths, is no small affair ; however, we 

«fill try to put our readers in a way effectually to defy the efforts 

■ of these little torments. 

A bag sufficiently large to hold all the woollen shooting-clothes 

25 



386 



LEWIS S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



should be made of strong linen, and, before putting the clothing in 
it, it should be wrung out of turpentine and hung up to dry. The 
clothes, after being well beaten and brushed, are put into this bag 
with pieces of camphor distributed in the pockets. The bag is 
then sewed up and put away in some dark hole, and not opened 
until the return of the ducking-season, when all will be found right. 
Without this precaution, a whole suit will be riddled by these vora- 
cious little torments in the course of one summer. Fustian, as 
before said, being manufactured entirely of cotton, is, of course, 
not liable to the attacks of moths. 




IMPORTANCE OF CLEAN GUNS. 

Sportsmen cannot be too particular in cleaning their guns, so asj 
to prevent the accumulation of any thing like rust. It would seem 
almost absurd for us to advise our readers never to put their arms 
away without washing them out thoroughly and rubbing them per- 
fectly dry with a good supply of that very essential article vulgarly 
termed "elbow-grease." Nevertheless, this recommendation is a 
necessary precaution, as we were informed, a few days since, that 
one of our oldest and most experienced sporting friends is in the 
habit of laying his gun by at the conclusion of each shooting- 
season without even so much as swabbing it out ; and, to make the 
matter still worse, he strongly recommends and insists upon this 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 387 

course as the proper plan to prevent the engendering of rust. 
Whether or not^he also advised the standing of the barrels in a 
damp cellar for a month or so, we did not ascertain, but might be 
led to infer that he could not certainly object to this addition. 

When a barrel is fired, the metal of course becomes heated, and 
the natural consequence of the application of this heat is a rapid 
condensation and accumulation of moisture upon the inside of the 
barrel, — the same as we often see collected upon the window-panes 
of our houses on a cool November morning. This fact may be 
clearly ascertained, if any one of my readers doubts the assertion, 
by merely thrusting the little finger into the muzzle a minute or 
two after firing, when it will be found that the inside of the gun is 
covered with a certain degree of dampness which increases the 
farther we go down the barrel. This moisture, in connection with 
some of the ingredients used in the manufacture of powder, soon 
creates a deposition of rust of a most corrosive character, which, 
if allowed to remain for several weeks, will materially injure the 
weapon. 

When a rust-spot or flaw is once made on the inside of a 
barrel, it is very difficult to be got at; and even after the most 
cautious cleaning a small particle of moisture will be found cling- 
ing to its uneven surface, which will continue to corrode the barrel 
at this point, until at last a hole is actually eaten through, pro- 
vided the gun does not burst before this takes place. A rust-flaw 
upon a fine sword-blade is a most difficult thing to get rid of, 
although easily got at, and will often defy the rubbing and polish- 
ing of the most persevering amateur. How much more difficult, 
therefore, must it be to remove it when entirely hidden from sight 
far down the barrel ! 

Some shooters are in the habit of putting their guns away 
loaded and letting them remain in this condition for weeks at a 
time, and then fearlessly firing them off, little dreaming of the 
danger they run by this piece of negligence, owing to the accu- 
mulation of rust around the powder and along the barrel. That 
the corrosive action of rust is the frequent cause of those terrible 



388 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

accidents that often occur among ignorant and careless shooters no 
one will for a naoment question; and all have noticed that the 
bursting of guns is far more frequent with those who reside in the 
neighborhood of the sea-shore than in any other part of the coun- 
try, owing in a great measure to the fact that the salt moisture of 
the atmosphere produces rust with so much rapidity that it is 
almost impossible to keep the barrels clear of it, even with the most 
persevering industry. Of this, however, we will speak more fully 
under another head. 

We are astonished that any sensible sportsman could for a mo- 
ment entertain or endeavor to promulgate such a ridiculous notion 
as putting aivay a yun dirty to preserve it from rust ! In fact, 
we cannot understand his motive or conjure up one single good 
reason for so doing ; but, on the other hand, we are satisfied that 
such a course would be attended with the most injurious results. 

SHOOTING-BOOTS. 

How frequently have we seen one of our sporting friends vic- 
timized during a whole day's shooting by the tortures of a pair 
of badly-made and ill-constructed boots ! and how often have we 
sympathized with him in his misfortunes, as well as laughed at his 
negligence in being caught in such an unsportsmanlike predicament. 

Nothing adds more to the comfort and good-humor of a sports- 
man than a pei'fectly-fitting and well-modelled boot, and nothing 
is more easily obtained if recourse is had to a smart workman. If 
walking-boots are not made full, large, and easy, no comfort can 
be expected from them, as they will be sure either to cramp the 
feet, pinch the toes, gall the heel, skin the instep, or arrest the free 
circulation of the blood and fatigue the wearer almost to death. 
It is of no use, certainly, to enumerate any more of .the miseries 
attending a pair of bad-fitting shooting-boots, as many of our 
readers no doubt, some time in the course of their lives, have had 
a practical demonstration of the matter, and perhaps can speak 
more feelingly on the subject than we can, as we have always been 
very particular in the choice of these articles, and consequently 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 389 

have seldom been caught in the unfortunate situation above alluded 
to. There are, however, some other objections attending the own- 
ership of a pair of tight boots, particularly when damp ; that is, 
they are very inconvenient to get on, and, we might say, still worse 
to pull off. And, moreover, nothing injures the stiifening of the 
heels so much, and makes them perfectly good-for-nothing, as 
tugging at them with a bootjack or working into them with the 
toe of the other foot or over the cross-bar of a chair : the stiflf 
sole leather with which the heel is braced becomes perfectly soft, 
and consequently will be sure to run over on the next trial. What 
is more ludicrous than to see a bad-tempered man, half bent, danc- 
ing and prancing over a small bar-room, with one foot in a slipper 
and the other stuck fast half-way down a tight boot, striving in 
vain with all the energies of his body to force it on ? Such scenes 
are not uncommon among sportsmen, and often give rise to much 
merriment on the part of the " knowing ones." That a tight boot is 
very uncomfortable, no one will deny ; and a boot made too large 
for the foot has likewise its inconveniences, as it will be sure to 
ride up and down on the heel, and sooner or later will rub the foot 
into blisters of the most painful character. There is a happy 
medium between these two evils of loose and tight boots, which 
every intelligent mechanic know^s how to arrive at without any 
directions from the sportsman; "in a word, the boot should be 
made to fit the foot, and not the foot to fit the boot," as is too 
often the case. 

Shooting-boots should be made of stout calfskin of the very 
best quality, with broad soles, square toes, wide, deep, and low 
heels. If the heels be made too narrow and high, the stiffening 
will soon give way when softened by the long application of mud 
and water, in connection with the pressure of the heel of the foot, 
which will soon be carried entirely over the frame of the sole ; and 
we know of nothing more uncomfortable and fatiguing than to be 
forced to walk all day long with a "run-over boot." This accident, 
bad as it is, can hardly be prevented with any degree of cauti(.n 
in snipe-shooting, as the stiffening of the heel becomes so very soft 



890 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

while wading about in the mud and mire, and the walking is so 
very uneven, that the heel almost invariably pushes itself by de- 
grees entirely over the frame, and we have abandoned all hope of 
ever having a decent-looking pair of boots for this kind of shoot- 
ing. When, however, they have run over, they may be braced up 
with pieces of sole-leather, and the heel itself slightly raised on the 
same side, so as to throw the weight of the foot in the opposite 
direction ; in this way they will stand a great deal of hard work, 
and, with a little management, can be made to last a long while. 
We have been so much annoyed with our boots running over M^iile 
snipe-shooting, that we proposed to our bootmaker to put in a 
metallic plate of some kind between the layers of leather usually 
employed for making this portion of the boot firm and unyielding 
to the pressure of wet and irregular walking ; but he made so many 
objections to our proposition that we were forced to abandon the 
idea for the present. However, we intend to investigate the sub- 
ject at some future time. 

Some sportsmen recommend the use of low, laced boots for 
snipe-shooting, as they say it is iuipossible to keep your feet dry, 
no matter how careful you may be, and therefore it is mu(?h better 
not to worry yourself with long and heavy boots, warranted to be 
water-proof. We have tried both water-proof boots and non-water- 
proof bootees, and have at times been as much disgusted with one 
as the other, — giving the preference now to one and now to the 
other, — until we have at last nearly come to the conclusion that an 
old pair of easy Avalking-boots, with holes in them to let the water 
run out as fast as it flows in, is about as comfortable a kind of boot 
for snipe-shooting as one can wear, as the feet will get wet at all 
hazards, — at least our feet will ; for if the boots be made high, even 
to reach far above the knees, we are sure, some time in the course 
of the day, to get into a ditch perhaps up to our middle ; and as 
often as we have gone out with the determination of not getting 
our feet wet, just so often have we returned home with them soak- 
ing, and many a pang of rheumatism have we suffered in conse- 
quence of our want of care. We do not pretend to say that boots 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 391 

/cannot be rendered water-proof, for we know to the contrary, and 
.purpose giving some receipts for making even ordinary leather im • 
pervious to water ; but we wish to say that, so far as we are con- 
cerned, we have never yet been snipe-shooting without wetting oui 
feet; but, at the same time, must confess that we are not easily 
deterred from crossing a ditch, and neither are we a very expert 
hand at walking a rickety fence-rail or a slippery log. 

Shooting-boots should never be made too heavy : it is a mistaken 
idea to have them made of the stoutest leather and with the 
heaviest soles, weighing perhaps several pounds apiece, inde- 
pendently of the mud which generally adheres to them. A pair of 
boots of this description, hanging like lumps of lead to one's feet, 
will tire and wear out any sportsman, no matter how lusty he 
may be, in just half the time that would have been the case if he 
had used a pair of strong and light boots. 

Some of our sporting friends, however, who are as averse to 
getting their feet wet as a cat is to moistening her paws, insist 
upon water-proof boots with Icggins of India-rubber cloth attached 
to the tops of them and made to fasten half-way up the leg. This 
plan, with some caution in picking out our way over the ditches 
and mud-holes, will, no doubt, succeed very Avell; but when we 
follow snipe we seldom have either the patience or time to hunt up 
good crossings or sound every quagmire for a firm footing, and 
thei'efore take it pretty much rough-and-tumble, just as it comes. 

We have tried laced boots, but have discarded them entirely, as 
we dislike to have our legs exposed by rolling our pants up, and 
we have an equal aversion to have them dangling muddy and wet 
around our feet; we have, however,, never made use of leggins, 
recommended in connection with laced boots for this kind of shoot- 
ing; they, doubtless, would answer a very good purpose. 




392 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

DRESSING FOR SHOOTING-BOOTS. 

There are a great variety of receipts for making mixtures calcu- 
lated to render boots water-proof; we will give some of them for 
what they are worth, leaving our friends to make a more thorough 
trial of their qualities than we have had an inclination to do as 
yet, for we have never been over-anxious to preserve our feet dry, 
and, when we did think Avorth while to make the effort, we have 
seldom found any preparations much superior to a good greasing 
with dubbing the night before going out, and stopping up the seams 
with a mixture of beeswax and grease melted slowly over the fire, 
or, if these ingredients are not at hand, the free use of a tallow can- 
dle at the moment of going out for the day, Avill generally answer 
the same purpose. 

Porter's edition of Haivker furnishes us with much information 
on this subject; and we should pass the matter over without any 
further notice, if we were sure all our readers had provided them- 
selves with this valuable work ; in fact, we might with perfect justice 
to ourselves omit this subject as well as many others Avithout a single 
comment, as they have already been largely dwelt upon in Haivher: 
and if a sportsman should read our unpretending volume without 
providing himself with the other far more valuable work, he does 
not deserve to be well posted up in sporting-affairs, as Hawker is 
considered the prince of sportsmen in England, and his editor. Por- 
ter, is too well known in this country to need any pufiing from us. 

The best kind of grease for dressing boots is shoemakers' 
dubbing. We have used it for years in preference to all other 
mixtures : it repels the water, and keeps the leather soft and 
pliable. The boots should always be moistened before applying it, 
and it should not be put on too frequently, or the leather may be 
rendered too porous. Before grease of any kind is applied to 
boots, they should be rubbed quite clean and the hard mud taken 
from the seams ; otherwise the leather, as well as the thread, will 
rot much faster and the boots repel the water far less than if they 
were perfectly clean when the grease is put on. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 393 

RECEIPT. 

Drying oil, (linseed, -we presume,) one pint ; 
Yellow wax, two ounces ; 
Turpentine, two ounces; 
Burgundy pitch, one ounce. 

Melt these over a slow fire, and then add a few drachms of essen- 
tial oil of lavender, or thyme ; with this your boots are to be rubbed 
with a brush, either in the sun or at some distance from the fire. 
The application must be repeated as often as the boots become dry 
again, until they are fully saturated. — Hawker. 

This mixture is an excellent dressing for boots generally ; it 
will not render them water-proof, but it will cause them to repel 
the rain extremely well. 

An excellent dressing for shooting-boots, or any thing else that 
is exposed to foul weather, is a solution of gum caoutchouc, or 
India-rubber, as it is commonly called, in strong spirits of turpen- 
tine or ether. It is made as follows : — A piece of caoutchouc, the 
size of a walnut, is cut into small pieces and put into a wide- 
mouthed phial, with four ounces of turpentine or ether, and 
allowed to remain two or three weeks, according to the strength 
of the solvent, Avhen it will become of the consistence of a thick 
varnish, and may be applied Avith a brush, to every part of the 
boot, inside as well as outside. If ether is employed to dissolve 
it, it will require but a very short time to make this preparation. 
The phial should be tightly corked ; otherwise the ether will lose 
all its strength, or, in other words, evaporate. This preparation, 
or one analogous to it, is the article sold for several years past as 
an application to old harness and wagon-covers, to make them 
flexible and water-proof. 

Our friend Mr. Chandler sent us a quantity of water-proof 
dressing for boots, which we used on several occasions, and found 
to answer a most excellent purpose, so much so that we requested 
nim to furnish us with a receipt for making it, which he very 
kindly did, as will be seen from the following note : — 



894 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

"Dear Doctor: — I have had such an excellent opportunity foi 
testing the good qualities of my water-proof preparation during a 
late shooting-excursion, that I can recommend it still more highly 
than before. 

" The composition is as follows : — One-quarter of a pound of 
gum elastic, (caoutchouc,) with sufficient naphtha, oil of sassafras, 
seneka, or any other solvent, to completely liquefy it ; after this 
is effected, a pound of tallow and three-quarters of a pound of 
beeswax should be melted together, and in connection with the 
dissolved gum should be kept over a slow fire until they are inti- 
mately commingled. When using the preparation, the boots should 
be slightly wet and warmed: if the mixture is then properly 
rubbed in, it is almost impossible for the water to penetrate. In 
addition to this, I generally have the soles of my boots soaked in 
copal varnish. 

"This preparation, Avhen used for common walking-boots or 
shoes, does not prevent a proper gloss being produced by blacking. 
I shall be glad if this is of any service to you, and am confident 
that it needs but a single trial to convince of its great efficacy. 

"Very truly, yours, 

M. T. W. Chandler." 

Another : — 

"For new boots, half a pound of beeswax, one-quarter pound 
of resin, and the like quantity of mutton-suet or tallow ; boil them 
together, and anoint the boots well with the preparation lukewarm. 
If the boots have been used, beef-suet to be substituted instead of 
mutton." 

Mr. Chandler informs me that he has his shooting-boots made 
straights, — that is, not right and left, — and finds that they wear 
longer, and are far less liable to run over, as they can be changed 
from one foot to the other as soon as they show a disposition to 
run either to the right or left. The idea is an excellent one; and 
we are somewhat surprised that it never occurred to us, more 
especially as we have had so much trouble with our boots in this 
very particular. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 



395 



Another : — 

"A pint of boiled neatsfoot-oil ; 
Half a pound of mutton-suet; 
Six ounces of beeswax ; 
Four ounces of resin. 
*' These ingredients are to be melted together over a slow fire 
and then freely applied to every portion of the boots, after warm- 
ing at" the fire; this dressing is especially adapted to new leather." 

Another : — 

"A pint of boiled linseed oil; 
Beeswax, one ounce; 
Burgundy pitch, half an ounce; 
Spirit of turpentine, two ounces. 
"Melt the first three ingredients in an earthen pot, then add the 
turpentine; to be rubbed in when the leather is tolerably dry, 
before the fij-e." 




896 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

SHOOTING-STOCKINGS. 

Woollen stockings are preferable for walking to any other kind. 
They should be regular made, — that is, woven without any seam ; for, 
if they be joined together at their heels or toes with a needle, the 
irregularities of the seam are very apt to rub the parts and pro- 
duce considerable uneasiness, and often blisters. Do not suppose 
that any common-made stockings, such as can be bought for a few 
pennies the pair, will answer every purpose and may then be thrown 
away at the termination of the trip. The plan, in the first place, 
is not an economical one, neither is it a convenient one ; for with 
the addition of a few more pennies an excellent article, that would 
last a whole season, might be obtained, and, by always having 
them on hand, we would not, as is often the case when the stockings 
are thrown away, find our sporting-wardrobe partially, if not en- 
tirely, deficient of these essentials just on the point of starting. 
These low-priced common stockings are never regular made, but 
are sewed together at the seams ; they are also badly shaped, 
particularly at the heels, and generally uncomfortable to walk in, 
as well as very rotten, and in every respect unserviceable to a 
sportsman. 

We are now using stockings sent to us by a friend from England, 
and said to be unversally used there for ordinary shooting: the 
soles, toes, and heels, are made of fine wool, the other parts of the 
stocking: bein«: formed of soft and stout cotton. 

We have given several pairs of these stockings very hard ser- 
vice, and find them to answer admirably; in mild weather they 
certainly are preferable to stockings made wholly of wool, as they 
heat the feet less, absorb far less water, and get dry much sooner. 

If our shooting-boots be too large, the difficulty will often be 
removed by wearing two pairs of stockings. 

CLEANING GUNS. 

The process of cleaning a gun, although simple in itself, is not, 
however, thoroughly understood, much less practised, by many of 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 397 

our sporting friends, as we have too often observed when on shoot 
ing-excursions. Not a few of them spend half an hour or more over 
their guns, rubbing and squirting dirty water about, Avhen the 
whole might be completed in a few minutes if a certain system waa 
adopted. Our method for this important duty towards our fowl- 
ing-piece is as follows : — 

The barrels are first to be removed from the stock ; the leading 
to be loosened by the brisk friction of the wire-brush before spoken 
of. This being accomplished, the brush is to be withdrawn and the 
muzzle turned downwards, when the loading will run out. 

Cold water is now to be poured into the barrels, and the ramrod, 
with the patent wiper attached to it, is to be used briskly for a few 
minutes in thoroughly rubbing the barrels. 

This done to our satisfaction, rinse the barrels several times 
with cold water, seeing that the nipple-holes are all clear; then 
pour into them boiling hot water, being provided with a heavy 
cloth of some kind to grasp the barrel with, otherwise the hands 
may be blistered, as the metal soon becomes extremely hot from 
the application of the v/ater; make lively use of the rod for a few 
moments, then rinse out with boiling water, wipe the barrels off as 
dry as possible, and place the muzzle downwards before the fire to 
dry. A little olive-oil or other fresh grease may afterwards be 
used on the barrels to preserve their polish and keep from rusting. 
All this may be accomplished in a very few minutes, certainly not 
exceeding fifteen. If hot water be used first, in place of cold, the 
powder adhering to tlie barrels will become soft and form itself 
into a kind of cake, which will be far more difiicult to remove; 
therefore we particularly recommend the employment of the cold 
first and the hot afterwards. 

If the gun is to be put away, not to be used for some time, a 
little more caution will be necessary in wiping the barrels perfectly 
dry, to prevent rust as well as preserve their polish. 

This will require considerable friction with a piece of flannel or 
other woollen cloth. 

It is quite unnecessary to remove the breeches more than once 



398 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

or twice a year for examination. The habit of taking them off 
more frequently is preposterous, as it only loosens and wears the 
threading of the screws without being productive of any particular 
good. 

We should say the same in reference to the extraction of the 
nipples, if we did not know how utterly impossible it is to wipe 
the chamber of a gun perfectly dry without removing them. If 
any one of our readers doubts this fact, let him clean his fowling- 
piece and wipe it out as thoroughly as possible with the softest rags ; 
then remove the nipples, and he will find a drop of water, or at all 
events some moisture, at the very bottom of the chamber. We 
have tried it over and over again, and have always found such to 
be the case ; we, therefore, have been accustomed of late to draw 
out the nipples every time we cleaned our gun. 

Some of our friends are very much opposed to removing the 
nipples, preferring rather to let them rust in the gun than to take 
them out even occasionally, as they argue that the frequent re- 
moval of them injures the threading of the screw, and makes them 
liable to fly out, — an accident, by-the-by, which might be attended 
with very serious consequences. 

Of this, however, we have but little fear, as we are satisfied 
that, with good nipples made of hard metal, such an accident 
would scarcely ever happen ; but at the same time we grant that 
it might occur, and no doubt often does occur with nipples manu- 
factured of soft metal, and of which the threading is at best very 
imperfect. Such nipples will not only fly out, but the tubes will 
burn out directly. Before replacing the nipples, the screw should 
be oiled. 

LEADING OF BARRELS. 

The leading of a gun is occasioned by the melting of the shot 
and the adhering of particles of the fused metal to the inside of 
the barrels. Perfect or smooth barrels are far less liable to lead 
than those which are rough and uneven in their surface. If a gun 
leads quickly and a great deal, it is certain evidence that it is im- 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 399 

perfect in its bore, and will give the sportsman much trouble in 
rapid shooting, owing to the difficulty of loading his piece. 

The wire brush we have before spoken of is an excellent instru- 
ment with which to free the barrels of the leading, and is the only 
one that will do it eifectually; even washing will not relieve the 
barrels when they are very rough, as common guns generally are. 




TO PREVENT RUSTING. 

A great many different modes have been resorted to to preserve 
gun-barrels free from rust when laid aside for a season, more par- 
ticularly by gunners living near the sea-shore, where the atmosphere 
at all times is strongly tainted with the oxidizing components. In 
our climate, under ordinary circumstances, remote from the sea- 
shore, there is little danger of rust collecting on the barrels in 
sufficient quantities to be of any particular injury to the metal, if 
proper care be taken to clean and oil them before putting away. 
The barrels should be rubbed perfectly dry inside and outside, and, 
as has been recommended by Blain, a piece of iron a little smaller 
in diameter than the bore of the piece may be heated to a frac- 
tion short of red-heat, and by means of a string let down into 
the barrels and moved up and down two or three times, so as effec- 
tually to dispel every particle of moisture that may be lingering 
m the interior of the gun. 

This being accomplished to our satisfaction, the fowling-piece 
may be oiled very slightly, inside and outside, and the muzzles 
stopped up with a woollen cloth. Neatsfoot-oil is esteemed the best 
kind for this purpose. There should not, of course, be a particle 
of salt in the grease which is used to protect metal of any descrip- 
tion from rust, for reasons before stated. The nipples should be 
covered with a particle of shoemakers' wax, or caoutchouc. This 



400 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

done, the gun is now to be laid away in a dry place ; otherwise all 
our preventive treatment will prove abortive. It will be prudent 
to examine our guns from time to time when not in constant use, 
and rub them oflF occasionally with a linen cloth and a little oil. 

If, however, the reader should reside near the sea-shore, it will 
be necessary to use some further precautions to protect his fowling- 
piece during the idle season ; and we know of no better plan than 
melting pure mutton-suet and filling the barrels with it, and also 
giving the outside a coating of the same, which may be easily done 
by pouring or smearing it over the gun Avhen in a semi-liquid state ; 
this plan, to-be-sure, is not a very nice one, but nevertheless it is a 
very eflfectual one. 

Another plan, and perhaps a more acceptable method to many, 
is to give the barrels a light coating of simple varnish, which will 
protect them equally well from the action of the air. 

If, however, the operation of filling the barrels with mutton-suet 
be not convenient or agreeable,, they may be oiled, and filled with 
a rod covered over with a woollen cloth of some kind and made so 
as to exactly fill the calibre of the gun and by this means exclude 
every particle of air from them. The breeches should be removed 
for examination, and oiled before being put away. 

Neatsfoot-oil is the only kind of oil admissible for these purposes. 
This unguent, however, is hardly pure or thin enough to be put on 
the machinery of the lock. We have been using latterly, as a gene- 
ral lubricating oil, a very beautiful French preparation by Adolphe 
Millochau. It is put up in small bottles of an ounce or less, and 
labelled "huile pour les armuriers," and can be purchased at most 
of the sporting stores on Broadway for a mere trifle. Mercurial 
ointment is highly recommended by Hawker for duck-guns, as also 
the following compound, taken from Daniels' Rural Sports. We 
have tried both, and found them equally eflficacious in preventing 
rust. 

RECEIPT. 

Three ounces of blacklead, half a pound of hogs' lard, one 
quarter of an ounce of camphor, boiled upon a slow fire ; the gun- 



I 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 401 

barrels to be rubbed with this, and, after three days, wiped oiF with 
a linen cloth. Twice in a winter will keep off the rust, which the 
salt water is otherwise sure to be continually bringing out from 
the iron. 

In spite, however, of all these precautions, but more frequently 
owing to the negligence of the sportsman, rust will sometimes accu- 
mulate on the surface as well as the interior of the barrels, which 
not only renders them unsightly, but is really very detrimental to 
the metal ; therefore we are constrained to give in this place some 
instructions for the removal of this troublesome deposit and the 
restoration of the barrels to their original beauty. 

We do not think that we could better accomplish this end, or do 
more justice to our readers, than by transcribing the directions 
given under this head by the talented Blain : — 

" Have an ashen rod turned a few inches longer than the barrel, 
and so nearly of the size of the bore as to allow of the following 
process : — Let one end of the rod be cut lengthwise so as to make 
a slit of six inches long, into which slit enter as much fine emery 
paper as will completely fill up the bore of the barrel, taking care 
in folding the paper tightly round the wood that the emery-surface 
is outward. Force it into the barrel by screwing it downwards 
from the top to the bottom ; repeat this process until the barrel is 
as clean and as polished as when it left the maker's hands. It is 
needless to remark, after the cautions we have given against using 
sand or any coarse matter that can abrade the surface of the 
barrel, that it is only the finest emery that should be used, from 
which, if judiciously employed on only one or two such occasions 
as these, no injurious effects can be apprehended. We need not 
inform the observant reader that iron or steel well polished Avill 
not attract rust so readily as when, being slightly abraded, it offers 
small indentations, by which the minute aqueous particles are de- 
tained. It may be asked, after all this, Would it not be better to 
send the gun to be repolished by the gunmaker? It would save 
trouble, we grant; but will he not overdo the matter, and thus 

weaken the barrel?" 

26 



402 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

THE SHAPE OF THE GUN-STOCK. 

Until within a few years the gun-stock was made rather short, 
with a considerable bend or curvature in it ; now we have gone to 
the other extreme, and every one is striving for a long and straight 
stock. This general desire for long stocks is not altogether judi- 
cious or reasonable, for what suits one sportsman in this respect 
will not necessarily suit all; but, on the other hand, each one 
should be guided by the "peculiar build of his own person" when 
ordering a gun stocked. 

To exemplify what we mean, we may here state that the gun- 
smiths of England have arrived at such perfection in their pro- 
fession that they actually measure their customers with as much 
precision as a flash tailor does a dandy, for the purpose of ascer- 
taining the style of stock best suited to their handling : the length 
of the arms, neck, height, and general carriage of the body, are 
all noted, and the stock is made in accordance with the measure- 
ment. A clever gunsmith, who understands his business thoroughly, 
will also observe his customer's mode of raising and presenting the 
gun, his manner of holding his head while taking aim, and many 
other little indescribable etceteras which are always overlooked by 
a common workman, but which are sources of much information to 
a shrewd mechanic. 

All sportsmen know the advantage of using a gun that " comes 
up to the shoulder right;" they also know the inconvenience as 
well as difficulty of shooting with a weapon the stock of which is 
formed differently from that which they have been accustomed 
to use. 

It is natural to conclude that a tall, long-limbed man w^ill 
require a longer stock than a shorter person ; also that a straight 
stock will answer better for a short-necked, high-shouldered man 
than for a long-necked, low-shouldered person. 

A stock rather long is decidedly better than one too short, and 
we would (prefer a stock rather crooked to one too straight. 

A s.traight stock is much ijiore suitable than a bent one for a 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 403 

short-neclced, high-shouldered person, for the simple reason that, in 
fast shooting, the point of sight at the end of the gun would come 
up to the range of the eye before the butt could be placed full 
against the shoulder, and the consequence would be that the piece, 
not being held firmly against the body, would recoil unpleasantly 
1 at every discharge. 

Moreover, the gun not being held on a perfect level, but the 
i| point of the muzzle actually higher than the stock, the consequence 
" will be that the load will be likely to be carried over the object. 
All this can be fully ascertained by a few trials ; and, moreover, 
■ that with an over-straight stock it will be diflBcult to bring the 
I head down to its proper level, even in deliberate shooting. 
' The fashion of having the stocks made straight and rather short 
i is very much in opposition to the most determined efi'orts at good 
' shooting on the part of sportsmen generally, and we beg to warn 
' our friends against this error ; they may rely upon our experience 
in this particular, as we have given the subject much attention, 
' and are thoroughly convinced that reasonably high-mounted guns 
^are far preferable to the "low-mounted." 

By the term high-mounted we mean those guns which have long 
and considerahly-hent stocks; by lotv-mounted yye designate those 
pieces that have short and straight stocks. 

Every sportsman, before deciding definitely upon the purchase 
of a gun, should, if possible, give the weapon a fair trial, which 
can be done very easily by firing at a mark, — not only to ascertain 
the force with which the barrels shoot, but more particularly to 
satisfy himself as to the mounting, as above explained. 

If, for example, the shooter looks steadily at some object placed 
iat a convenient distance from him, and throws the weapon up to 
the proper range of his eye and fires at the very moment when he 
'catches the sight, he will most undoubtedly strike the target, pro- 
A'ided the gun is mounted to suit him. If such, however, should 
T-Ot be the case, the shot will be thrown most probably either above 
pr below the mark. If the former should be the case, he will know 
^alt once that the stock is too straight and too 'short, or, as we have 



404 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN 

before ot)served, the gun is too lotv-mounted for his handling. If, 
on the other hand, the shot should fall below the ^target, the stock 
may be too crooked, or, artistically speaking, the piece is too high- 
mounted. 

A long stock, as above remarked, is generally preferable to a 
short stock in the hands of most sportsmen, for sundry reasons, 
one of which we have not yet named, which is, that those having 
long stocks throw their fire with more power, from the circumstance 
that the butt is always pressed more closely against the shoulder of 
the shooter. Moreover, there is less recoil to be apprehended from j 
a long stock than a short one, more particularly if the stock should I 
be rather crooked as well as long. Many sportsmen ignorantly i 
attribute their indifferent shooting to the barrels, when they should 
look alone to the stocking and mounting of the piece ; as we are 
satisfied from long observation that '■'' good shooting,'' in most cases, 
depends far more upon these contingencies than it does upon the 
shooting-properties of the barrels themselves. 

The old habit of shaving off, or rather scooping out, the butt on 
one side, to allow the face to come immediately behind the line of 
the barrel, is perfectly unnecessary, — in fact, is opposed to good 
shooting, as we cannot but think that this shaping of the stock will 
cause the sportsman at times to shoot very irregular. 

GUN-LOCKS. 

Without a good lock, a stub-and-twist barrel of the finest work- 
manship will be of little avail, and the one is quite as difficult to 
be obtained as the other. 

Since the introduction of detonators, however, sportsmen pay 
much less attention to the workmanship of their gun-locks than they 
did when flint-guns were alone in vogue ; for then it was absolutely 
necessary to have the finest-finished and best-tempered locks that 
could be manufactured by experienced artists, to insure the ra- 
pidity and certainty in shooting which is so desirable. 

These two important ends could not, of course, be attained with 
the old-fashioned flint or steel lock, unless the various portions of 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 405 

the lock were of the most perfect construction and put together in 
the most artistic manner. This, however, is not the case with the 
detonator ; a far inferior lock to those that were then manufactured 
with so much care and skill will answer an equally good purpose. 
Nevertheless, they require a considerable deal of care in their fabri- 
cation to make them agreeable and serviceable to the sportsman. 

Gun-locks should be manufactured from the hardest metal, and 
all their parts filed and fitted in the most beautiful manner, with 
springs of the best construction and suitable strength ; every por- 
tion of the machinery should work in perfect unison, and, when set 
in motion, should glide over each other with the same smoothness 
and evenness observable in the most elaborate pieces of mechanism. 

Greener remarks on the subject in the following words, and we are 
sure that every sportsman will heartily respond to such sentiments : — 

"I have always felt as great pleasure in handling a gun with a 
pair of good locks as some would experience in listening to the 
musical productions of the great Handel. There is to me a supe- 
rior music in the tick of the scear on the tumbler, and the fine 
elasticity of the mainsprings, moving with a sort of fine, oily feel, 
though light, as sharp as the lightning playing in the heavens." 




; Good locks can only be obtained from the best artisans, and, to 
-insure their quality, should be made to order by those only in 
Twhom we have the utmost confidence. There is no part of the gun 
jthat requires so much care and skill as the manufacturing of the 
-lock, and consequently there is no part in which there is so much 
[deception practised. It is impossible to judge of the quality of a 
lock by a mere examination of its structure, as the spring, swivel, 
Dr some other portion of it, may soon grow weak, or gi\e way 



406 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

entirely after a few days' shooting, if the metal used in its fabri- 
cation is not of the very best kind, and put together with the 
skill so well understood by an experienced and honest gunsmith. 
The attachment of the swivel and arrangement of the hole for the 
scear-pin are the two most important points in the construction 
of a lock, as the one controls the movements of the mainspring, 
while the other imparts the proper play of the scear on the tumbler, 
and produces that agreeable click -which every sportsman delights 
to catch upon his ear when handling a good gun. 

Locks can be purchased in England from a shilling to four 
pounds a pair. Great numbers of inferior locks are imported by 
our hardware-men. 

GUNPOWDER ORIGIN, ETC. 

The discovery of this powerful compound, although generally 
attributed to a German named SchAvarz, a student well skilled in 
alchemy, is nevertheless conceded by most inquirers into the sub- 
ject to have been well known to some of the more enlightened 
nations of the ancients, and more particularly, at a very early 
period, to the ingenious inhabitants of the Celestial Einpire, as we 
have stated in another place. 

Some investigators of the subject assert that it was in use by 
the Chinese about or a short time after the commencement of the 
Christian era; and this curious people themselves even claim its 
invention and general use for ages prior to this period. Whether 
this be so or not, we believe that it is granted by all hands that 
Berthold Schwarz's discovery of the compound was perfectly ori- 
ginal in himself, and that therefore he should not be shorn of the 
immortal celebrity that is and v/ill ever be attached to his name. 
The ingredients used in the manufacture of gunpowder are pretty 
generally the same all over the world, each maker having, of 
course, his own ideas regarding the proportions of the three articles 
— nitre, charcoal, and sulphur — to be employed. 

The best English, Scotch, or Fi'ench sporting-powders are not so 
strong as the American. The average proportion of the ingredients 



i 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 407 

composing the English powder, put up in small tin canisters or 
wrapped in cartridge-paper for the use of sportsmen, is as follows : — 
nitre seventy-five parts, charcoal fifteen, sulphur ten. 

Dupont's powder is more generally used by sportsmen through- 
out our country than any other ; it is more powerful than the 
English powder, being compounded of — nitre seventy-seven parts, 
charcoal thirteen, sulphur ten. 

This powder is put up in small tin canisters of a pound each, 
and in this way is entirely protected from the moisture that is so 
hurtful to it. Of its quality we need say nothing, as its long cele- 
brity is a suflficient guarantee of its worth. 

When packed as above, expressly for the use of sportsmen, 
Dupont's powder costs nearly double as much as it does when pur- 
chased in small six-pound kegs; but the universal satisfaction it 
ajQfords, and the convenience and safety of carriage, give it a 
decided preference in the eyes of most sportsmen, notwithstand- 
ing the additional price asked for it. 

VARIETIES OF GUNPOWDER. 

The principal and most appreciable diiference in the manufacture 
of gunpowder is its division into coarse and fine-grained, glazed 
and unglazed. 

The first variety — the coarse-grained powder — is used princi- 
pally for all species of large fire-arms, and undoubtedly is the most 
powerful of the two kinds ; at all events, we have arrived at this 
conclusion from experiments tried while duck-shooting, and Ave are 
supported in our observations by many respectable authorities; 
that is, we wish to be understood that an ounce of coarse-grained 
powder is more powerful than an ounce of fine-grained powder, 
both of the same manufacture and of equal proportions. The 
superior strength or projectile force of the coarse-grained has been 
accounted for on principles which, to our mind, are both reason- 
able and convincing, and may be explained by the perusal of the 
following extract taken from Greener's work on this subject: — "I 
have always thought and am quite convinced that powder is made 



408 lewis's amekican spoktsman. 

too small in the grain. For what purpose it is made so, except to 
please the j^unmakers, I never could imagine. I have no hesitation 
in asserting that, if jou obtain powder of fine grain and powder 
composed of the same quality of ingredients coarser grained, the 
latter will be found to be stronger than the former. This I have 
tried in various ways, both by the rifle and the musket, and the 
same quantity of the coarser invariably gives the longer range. It 
is owing, in my opinion, to each grain containing within itself 
greater force. When one is ignited, its effect is greater than that 
of several small ones. Four times the quantity of small-grained 
has to be ignited to generate the same force as is required of the 
larger-grained. Again, the small grain is generally coated with a 
sort of varnish, w^iich must be injurious to its quickness. Another 
advantage the larger grain possesses is, that from its size it is less 
liable to be completely compressed into a solid state, and from the 
largeness of the interstices around them more atmospheric air is 
contained in a body, which must greatly benefit it in igniting ; as 
without question (though it is possible to fire powder in vacuo) it 
will burn better with the assistance of atmospheric air." 

The duck-shootei's of our country, without exception, use the 
coarse-grained powder, not only because they know it to be stronger, 
but because it attracts, or rather absorbs, a much less quantity of 
atmospheric moisture than the fine. We recollect on one occasion, 
when shooting canvas-backs from one of the points at the Spesutia 
Narrows, by some unfortunate mishap both barrels of our gun 
became suddenly disabled, one from the flying off" of the pivot, 
and the other from some trifling derangement in the machinery of 
the lock. The morning was a very fine one for the flight of ducks, 
and they Avere passing over our heads ever and anon, in countless 
numbers and at a fair shooting-distance. Unhappily for us, how- 
ever, we were forced, nolens volens, to be a silent spectator, and 
not, as was our wont, an active participator in the scenes around 
us. One of our sporting companions, a thorough blood in this 
line, and we might term him a "duck-shooter by profession" as 
well as a "duck-shooter by education," as he had done little else 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 409 

but destroy ducks ever since he was big enough to shoulder his 
father's old musket and take sight over a "blind," — having pain- 
fully injured the thumb of his right hand, we, having nothing better 
to do, volunteered to load his gun for him, on condition of a fair 
proportion of the spoils. Having our patent powder-flask with us, 
and being accustomed to its use as well as satisfied with its safety, 
we very naturally commenced loading from its contents, and con- 
tinued so to do for a considerable time, while our friend was 
banging away at every moment, but, strange to say, bringing down 
scarcely a single victim, although those around us were heaping up 
piles about them ; and so did our partner till we commenced load- 
ing for him. The old veteran could not account for his bad shooting, 
and attributed every miss to some new cause, first one thing and 
then another, cursed the gun, damned the ducks, and finally gave 
up in despair. We of course were equally as much surprised at 
his want of success, and even took the gun from his hands and 
essayed a few shots, but without much effect. The morning had 
now fully broken, and, upon closer inquiry into the cause of this 
bad shooting, our partner ascertained, to his no small horror, that 
we had been loading all the time with fine-grained canister-powder, 
instead of the coarse-grained article which all duckers prefer ; in 
fact, they object to using any other kind. 

The indignation of our friend was great when he made this 
discovery ; and his vanity of shooting well, which had been on 
the wane for the previous half-hour, was now fully appeased, 
as he declared that ^^ such stuff," meaning the fine powder, was 
not fit to make a squib of, let alone bring down a savory canvas- 
back. 

This powder, however, we had been using the day before on 
partridges, and had succeeded in killing five brace with it Avithout 
much difficulty. This anecdote certainly goes to demonstrate how 
strong the prejudice is among duck-shooters in favor of the coarse 
powder, and at the same time proves conclusively that, though it 
would kill partridges at a reasonable distance, it had not force 
enough to carry heavy shot as strongly as the common coarse- 



410 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

grained powder, such as is sold in the small country shops, from 
which source our friend always procured his supply ; for as soon 
as he loaded with it the ducks came tumbling down right and 
left. 

GLAZED POWDER. 

Some powder is glazed and some not. The comparative strength 
of the two kinds is not much, if at all, affected by the process 
which it undergoes in glazing, as the grains are merely triturated 
with blacklead, to give them the glossy appearance which they 
present. 

It is deemed absolutely indispensable that all military powder 
should be glazed, to prevent the formation of too much dust by af- 
friction in its transport from place to place ; as it is a well-esta- 
blished fact that a charge of powder compressed into a solid, dense 
mass, as it necessarily would be if its whole gi-anular as well as 
angular construction was destroyed by pulverization, must lose 
some of its propulsion by the slowness of combustion. 

As has been remarked by Greener, "though it is possible to fire 
powder in vacuo," still, the presence of a certain amount of air 
in the interstices of any combustible nuiss will greatly facilitate 
the rapid penetration of the flame through it, and consequently 
increase the projectile power dependent upon its instantaneous 
combustion. Commenting on Dupont's sporting-powder. Captain 
Mordecai, of the Ordnance Department, remarks as follows : — 
"Dupont's very fine-grained sporting-powder, being thoroughly in- 
corporated, free from dust, and composed of angular grains, although 
highly glazed, far surpasses all the other kinds in quickness." 
Further on, he again observes : — " The great and uniform superiority 
of Dupont's fine sporting-powder, even in large charges in the 
cannon, evinces the combined effect of the most careful preparation 
of the materials, their thorough incorporation, perfect drying, and 
high glazing, all of which are favorable not only to the production 
of the greatest inherent force of the composition, but to the quick 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 411 

combustion of tlie grains and to the rapid transmission of the 
flame through the whole mass of the powder."* 

TESTS FOR POWDER. 

English sporting-powder, w^hen good, is found to impart scarcely 
any color to the hand when crushed in the palm with the thumb. 
American powder, to be perfect, should be equally free from all 
charcoal appearances. There is a simple method of ascertaining 
the quality of powder, which in some measure may be relied on. 
If a small quantity be placed upon a sheet of white paper and 
exploded, it should burn with a sudden white smoke, accompanied 
with a peculiar sharp report, or rather pidz, that the ear soon be- 
comes familiar with and easily detects. There should be nothing 
left on the paper after the explosion if the powder be superior ; if, 
however, the residuum be blackish matter, the probability is that 
there is too much carbon in the powder ; if the paper should 
exhibit a dotted appearance, with little black splotches over it, we 
would be led to suppose that the sulphur or nitre was inferior in 
quality and badly incorporated. 




THE EPREUVETTE, OR POWDER-PROVER. 

It is not an easy matter to ascertain the real pulsion of powder, 
even by subjecting it to the test of the epreuvette, — an instrument 

* See report of experiments on gunpowder, made at Washington Arsenal by Cap- 
tain Mordecai. 



412 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

in common use in England, but scarcely known in this country, 
and on this account deserving of notice in this place. 

The epreuvette, though the most perfect of all small instruments 
yet invented for the purpose of testing the strength of gunpowder, 
if not used properly will often give very unsatisfactory results. 
The construction of the epreuvette should be perfect in all its 
parts, more particularly in the spring which controls the move- 
ments of the wheel on which the graduations are marked. The 
mouth-piece, or rather the piece which closes the muzzle of the 
epreuvette and is attached to the gra ding-wheel, should fit closely 
in its place, so as not to allow any space to be seen between the 
two surfaces when held up to the light. 

One trial is not sufficient to test the momentum of the powder ; 
it will be better to make several, and then take the average of the 
whole. The chamber should be nicely cleaned after each fire, 
provided we wish to obtain a close analysis. 

POWDER PRESERVED FROM MOISTURE. 

Powder should be kept dry and never exposed to a humid atmo- 
sphere, as it has a great tendency to imbibe moisture and will soon 
become unfit for service. If by any mishap it should become damp, 
it can be dried before the fire, or in the sun, on a metal dish ; a coal 
fire is the proper kind of fire before which to dry it, — a wood-fire 
being rather dangerous, owing to the chance of sparks fiying out, as 
they frequently do, more particularly if the wood be wet or green. 
We have dried our powder more than once by putting the dish 
which contained it on top of a brick placed on a stove. 

The fact of the tendency of powder to absorb moisture may be 
very fairly and satisfactorily demonstrated by accurately weighing 
a certain proportion of the article, and placing it in a humid situa- 
tion for a few hours, when it will be found that it has increased 
very perceptibly in weight, owing to the imbibition of the aqueous 
particles of the moist air. All circumstances being equal, small- 
grained powder will necessarily absorb moisture more rapidly than 
large-grained, for the simple reason that, in a given weight of 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 413 

either, the smaller the grain the larger the surface exposed to the 
effects of the atmosphere. The projectile force of powder is con- 
siderably diminished by dampness, because, its combustion being 
much slower, a large proportion must necessarily be driven out of 
the gun before the whole mass is entirely consumed, and the 
explosion consequently must be Aveakcned, as the phenomena at- 
tending the burning of gunpowder are accounted for by the sudden 
and rapid generation of an elastic fluid, which of course will not 
be properly created by the slow and unequal combustion of a damp 
compound. 

If the nitre used in the manufacture of powder is not perfectly 
pure and thoroughly embodied with the other ingredients, it will 
not burn with the rapidity necessary for the generation of the 
projectile force inherent in this compound when all its constitu- 
ents are properly incorporated. 

The mere circumstance of powder absorbing moisture Avhen ex- 
posed to its effects, with more than ordinary rapidity, is a positive 
proof of its inferiority, and is a sure evidence that the nitre is not 
pure, and that it contains some portion of muriate of soda, which 
substance is generally found in combination with it in its natural 
state, and wdiich every one of the least observation is perfectly 
aware attracts humidity with singular facility.* If the powder is 
moist, besides losing a considerable portion of its strength, it soon 
fouls the gun, the grains become caked together, and will not enter 
the nipple-hole, &c. For these reasons, the sportsman will be 
convinced that he cannot be too careful of his powder, and will 
take every necessary precaution to prevent the subtle compound 
from imbibing the particles of moisture with which the air is loaded 
during muggy weather, more particularly on the bay-shore, when 



* Captain Mordecai, referring to experiments made with some powders manufac 
tured at the Eastward, remarks : — "In consequence of the impurity of the saltpetre 
in these powders, a great quantity of moisture is rapidly absorbed by them ; the 
deliquescent salts in the nitre are dissolved, the grains become so moist as to hold 
in solution the nitre, which becomes separated from the other components, and the 
powder is soon rendered completely unserviceable." 



414 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



Isters^ 



in quest of water-fowl. It should always be kept in tin canisters" 
and never be trusted to paper, which of itself has a tendency to 
absorb dampness, to say nothing of the danger of having packages 
of powder carelessly wrapped in old newspaper and lying about. 
A package of this kind, containing nearly half a pound of powder, 
we know of having been thrown into the fire by a thrifty house- 
wife, who mistook it for a bundle of rubbish that she had collected 
up in a similar paper a few moments before, for the purpose of 
consigning it to the flames. The consequences of this unpar- 
donable carelessness on the part of the sportsman might have 
proved very serious to us all, had not the accident been observed 
by a brother chum sitting close by, who, with admirable courage 
and presence of mind, seized the burning package with the tongs, 
and, rushing with it to the window, which had been opened a few 
moments before for the purpose of taking an observation of the 
weather, threw it out, where in a moment or two it exploded with 
a tremendous noise, but fortunately did no mischief. 

It is almost useless for us to warn the sportsman to be careful, 
when drying powder, to expose as little as possible at a time to 
the fire, or he may blow the roof off the house, and perhaps blow 
himself out of the window. With proper caution, there is no 
more danger in drying powder than there would be in heating so 
much sand; but in the hands of a careless or reckless person the 
process would be rather hazardous. 

PROPERLY LOADING THE GUN. 

The art of rightly proportioning the charge for our piece is not 
so easy a matter as many suppose ; but, on the contrary, it requires 
considerable judgment and experience to ascertain the exact 
quantity of powder and shot that a piece will best carry. If we 
wish to ascertain this fact conclusively, a series of experiments 
should be instituted immediately after the purchase of our gun; 
in truth, every sportsman should settle this important fact to his 
entire satisfaction at once, as we can assure him that much of his 
success in shooting depends upon the proper loading of his piece. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 415 

If the gun be overcharged, as is much too often the case both 
with powder and shot, the whole load will be carried out of the 
barrel with an unequal, unsteady, and wild impetuosity, very dif- 
ferent from the regular, easy, and determined motion imparted to it 
by a proper proportion of each. The gun, no matter how tightly 
grasped, if overloaded, will spring from the hand, and a recoil 
more or less severe will be felt at the shoulder. This should never 
occur in small fire-arms. In large duck-guns a sliglit recoil is 
excusable ; but even in these pieces proper loading will almost 
invariably remedy the evil if the gim is skilfully constructed; 
and if after judicious management it still proves incorrigible, the 
weapon had better be sold for tvant of use, or placed in the hands 
of some one Avho cares but little for a bruised arm and a sore 
shoulder. 

As before said, a series of experiments should be instituted to 
find the exact charge that suits your gun best ; that is, what 
proportion of powder and what proportion of shot will kill the 
farthest with the greatest certainty. This can be accomplished 
by firing at sheets of paper at a distance of forty yards with 
different-sized loads, and marking down the result of each 
discharge. 

To make this chapter more complete, we cannot do better than 
introduce a few paragraphs from Greener on this subject, and at 
the same time remark that every sportsman will derive abundance 
of information appertaining to the gun by the perusal of that 
writer's highly instructive work : — 

"I have repeatedly stated that all guns will burn a certain 
quantity of powder; you must, therefore, ascertain what that 
quantity is, which can only be done by practice. Suppose you 
begin with two drachms, and vary the charge one-eighth of a 
drachm each shot up to three drachms and a half, or as may be 
required, according to the length and bore of the gun, and, for 
precision, taking three shots with each charge at a sufficient num- 
ber of sheets of paper; whichever you find strongest with the 
least quantity of powder, that is the best charge, as very likely 



416 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the two next additions of poAvder will shoot equally strong, and 
yet not stronger, because more of it remains unburnt. Therefore, 
the least quantity Avhich shoots equally strong is the proper charge, 
which having once ascertained, never change for any person's 
plan. 

"Next as to the charge of shot. All guns, according to their 
bore and length, will shoot a certain weight and a certain size of 
shot best. A great deal of shot in a small bore lies too far up the 
barrel, and creates an unnecessary friction; and the shot, by the 
compression at the moment of explosion, becomes all shapes, — a 
circumstance which materially affects its flight. If of too great a 
weight, the powder has not power to drive it with that speed and 
force required to be eflficacious, because the weight is too great in 
proportion. Those who reason with mathematical calculation will 
object to this doctrine. Say they. The greater the weight the 
greater the eflfect. No doubt it is so, if thrown with a propor- 
tionate force ; but that cannot be obtained with a small gun. We 
must adapt the Aveight of projectile force to the power we are in 
possession of; and, from many experiments, I am inclined to think 
that a fourteen-gauge two-feet-cight barrel should never be loaded 
with above an ounce and a half of shot, (No. G will suit her best,) 
and the utmost powder she will burn. A fifteen-gauge will not 
require more than one ounce and one-fourth ; and no doubt No. 7 
would be thrown by her quite as strong as No. 6 by the fourteen- 
gauge gun, and do as much execution at forty yards with less 
recoil; and, setting aside all other reasons, I should, on this ac- 
count, prefer the fifteen-gauge gun, if both be of a length, finding 
I can do as much execution at the same distance with the one as 
with the other. To render a fourteen-gauge barrel superior, I 
think Colonel Hawker is right in stating that it should never be 
under thirty-four inches, which description of barrel I very much 
approve." 

A drachm of Dupont's sporting canister-powder will be a suffi- 
cient charge with which to commence these experiments. 

The sheets of paper for our target should not be less than a 



I 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 417 

dozen in number ; and the charge that fires the strongest and keeps 
the shot in the most compact round form is the one best adapted 
for the gun. A most erroneous idea exists among young sports- 
men as regards loading: many suppose that by increasing the 
quantity of shot they also increase the chances of killing, because, 
as they say, there is a much greater number of pellets to be driven 
against the object fired at. This, however, is not the case, as the 
shot, in the first place, being too heavy for the charge of powder, 
does not receive the same degree of projectile force from its 
explosion that it would if both were properly proportioned; 
and, moreover, the quantity of shot being too great, the pellets 
strike against each other in their course and become disarranged; 
the recoil is also considerably increased, and the gun may be 
bursted. 

If, on the other hand, too much powder is used, it flies wildly 
out of the barrel unconsumed, as may be seen by firing at a sheet 
of paper at a distance of fifteen yards or so, when the grains of 
powder will be found forced into the paper instead of being con- 
sumed by the explosion. 

In fact, the whole theory of loading and overloading guns may 
be summed up in a few words. Every gun should be loaded in 
accordance with its bore and weight, and the greater nicety that 
the sportsman displays in arriving at these proportions, the more 
beautiful will be his shooting; for it is well ascertained by the 
numerous experiments of those well versed in the subject, and 
may be laid down as an hypothesis, or rather axiom, that if the 
quantity of shot be too great the elastic force of the discharge is 
diminished and the recoil considerably increased ; and, if the charge 
of powder be also inci'eased in the same ratio with the shot, the 
recoil will be doubly increased, perhaps to the bursting of the 
barrels, and the pellets of shot will be expelled from the piece 
helter-skelter, in any direction but a direct course. 

The larger the charge of powder, the more will the shot be 

scattered, and we have but one alternative in making long shots, 

and that is, to load with the usual quantity of powder, but make 

27 



418 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

use of larger-sized shot, as no advantage whatever is gained by 
increasing the charge of powder beyond the proper measure. 




BURSTING OF GUNS. COMMODORE STOCKTON S EXPERIMENTS. 
RECOIL, ETC. 

There are innumerable causes which tend to the bursting of gun- 
barrels, even those of the most approved workmanship ; it is not 
astonishing, therefore, that those manufactured of inferior metal 
and put together by second-rate artists should frequently be torn 
to pieces while under the management of reckless and ignorant 
shooters. Although there are immense numbers of guns imported 
into this country, both from England and Germany, that could not 
stand the test of the proof-house, still, they are made of sufficiently 
good metal to bear the explosion of powder to a certain extent, 
and, if handled with caution, might perform many years of good 
service without endangering the lives of their owners. We do not, 
however, wish our readers to construe this concession of ours in 
reference to these trashy guns into a favorable notice of them, as 
we consider the use of weapons of a doubtful character, such as 
these are, as rather too hazardous an experiment for an}^ one of 
our sporting friends to venture upon. 

We will now endeavor to point out some of the causes that are 
calculated to produce bursting not only in barrels manufactured 
of inferior metal, but even in those forged out of the most superior 
iron and wrought with the greatest care. 

The first grand cause of bursting springs from the forge, as 
before stated ; and every one knows full well that many manu- 
facturers of guns use metal of very inferior description ; and when 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 419 

the bars are being welded into barrels, the artificers themselves are 
guilty of most culpable negligence and recklessness, little heeding 
the limbs lost and lives sacrificed by their bad workmanship. 

If a barrel be either welded, bored, or filed badly, even if it be 
made of good metal, it may nevertheless burst under the manage- 
ment of the most careful sportsman. If the thickness of the bar- 
rel is not uniform throughout its entire length, but weaker at one 
point than at another, owing to a flaw in the metal, overfiling, or 
rude boring, it will most probably burst, if overcharged, as the 
expansive force of the powder acts with increased vigor upon these 
weak points, owing to the resistance it meets with from the stronger 
portions of the tube. 

If the subtle fluid generated by the inflammation of gunpowder 
be suddenly compressed or checked by a contraction in the calibre 
of the barrel, an undue proportion of the expansive force is exerted 
upon this point, and the result may be the bursting of the instru- 
ment. This fact will of itself show the folly of attempting to increase 
the shooting-powers of the gun by unequal boring of the barrel, or 
rather the contracting of the diameter of the calibre at some given 
point in its length, as has been practised by some ignorant gun- 
smiths. We cannot imagine any cause better calculated to burst 
a fowling-piece than the contraction of its regular calibre from 
this erroneous method of boring, and would rather trust ourselves 
with a straight-bored barrel made of far inferior metal, than with 
one of these ill-shapen instruments forged of the very best stub- 
and-twist. If the muzzle of the gun becomes stopped up with dirt 
or snow while in the act of springing over a ditch, or from a fall, 
and the extraneous matter should be of a consistency sufl^ciently 
ihard to ofier any considerable degree of resistance to the expulsive 
I force of the powder, the barrel will be bursted without fail near its 
mouth; and the same accident will more readily occur if the mouth 
of the piece be sunk a few inches below the surface of the water, as 
ithe resistance offered by this fluid to the passage of the load under 
•such circumstances is far more powerful than that presented by the 
thin sides of the barrel, and the weaker antagonism must necessarily 



420 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

give way to the stronger. That a gun will burst very readily if the 
muzzle be sunk a few inches under the water, we have not the least 
doubt ; and an accident which happened to an acquaintance of ours, 
some years since, confirms us in the opinion. 

A fowling-piece may also burst from bad loading; we do not 
mean entirely from overcharging, but sometimes from the want of 
proper precaution in ramming down the shot on the powder, or the 
moving of the wad of one barrel by the jar communicated to it by 
the explosion of the other. Bursting from this latter cause is 
occasioned by the sudden accumulation and increased expansion 
of the elastic fluid behind the object oifering the resistance, or rather 
is the consequence of the sudden check given to its steady exit 
from the barrel. 

A ball thus impacted in the barrel of a small gun, musket, or 
rifle, will be most likely to burst the piece, if fired ; such, at least, 
is the generally-received opinion. 

This belief, however, like many other vulgar errors that have 
descended by repetition from one to another without any detail of 
experiments entered into necessary to establish the facts upon a 
certain and indisputable basis, may not be altogether correct. 

Commodore Stockton, in his paper containing experiments on 
ordnance instituted by permission of the Navy Department, and 
l^.tely read before the American Philosophical Society, opposes 
this long-received doctrine of explosion, and proves very conclu- 
sively, in some description of large guns at least, that they in- 
variably burst with a smaller charge when the ball was nearer the 
powder than when it was at a distance ; and, also, that the burst- 
ing took place with the shot at the shortest distance from the 
powder, after sustaining the same charges at a longer distance. 

These experiments and their results certainly go to prove that 
such is the fact in large guns of equal calibre and size throughout 
their whole extent ; but they prove nothing, in our judgment, in 
the case of small fire-arms of unequal streyigth and iveight of 
metal. 

Commodore Stockton also shows most concluaively tha^ the 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 421 

greatest internal pressure at the moment of the discharge is at 
that part of the gun occupied by the powder. 

Although the facts elicited from these interesting and highly 
instructive experiments are very conclusive, so far as they have 
a bearing on large guns of one hundred pounds' weight or more 
and of like dimensions througlwut their ciitire length, they do not 
certainly establish any thing, as before remarked, either 2>>"o or con., 
as to the old theory respecting small fire-arms; we are conse- 
quently forced to adhere to the ancient doctrine of explosion, and 
still believe that a fowling-piece is more apt to burst with a wad or 
a ball far up the barrel than if pushed home upon the shot or pow- 
der. This phenomenon we can account for in a way quite satis- 
factory, at least to our mind, by supposing that when the powder 
is ignited, and the expansive fluid generated by this inflammation 
is set in motion, and, striving to overcome the resistance offered by 
the sides of the barrel which enclose it, rushes forward up the bar- 
rel with that certain degree of propulsive force inherent within it- 
self, and without having any positive obstruction in its way to arrest 
its onward course till it meets with the barrier opposed to its exit, 
in the shape of a Avad, ball, mud, snow, or some other article which 
might be lodged in the barrel either by design or accident, this 
sudden check to its wild career creates a momentary yet a partial 
pause in its course, and consequently gives rise to an increased 
lateral pressure at this point in the barrels, which are proportionally 
thin as they approach the muzzle, and consequently, unlike the 
heavy breech, are unable to withstand this unequal and sudden 
shock, and therefore must give way. And thus we may say that 
bursting under these circumstances arises from the sudden accu- 
mulation and increased expansion of the elastic fluid behind the 
object oifering the resistance and thereby preventing the free exit 
of the charge from the gun. 

Why the same result was not obtained in the case of larger fire- 
arms, and why the experiments of Commodore Stockton should be 
diametrically opposed to this theory, we cannot, perhaps, satis- 
factorily explain, as we have no opportunities of making any prac- 



422 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

tical observations upon the subject; we therefore leave it for the 
investigation of others, venturing, however, the following re- 
marks : — 

If, for experiment, the dimensions of the guns (as Commodore 
Stockton's all were) be of the same size throughout, and of a calibre 
sufficiently strong to withstand the shock of the powder used in 
the experiment, except at the very spot where the internal pressure 
is greatest, — that is, at the breech end, — and the metal be no 
stronger there than at any other point along the barrel, it is evi- 
dent to every one of the least thought that a certain charge of 
powder would have a very difterent effect upon a gun of this kind i 
than it would on one constructed upon the principle of an ordinary ! 
fowling-piece, which has the weight of metal in the breech nicely 
harmonizing with the length and calibre of the weapon. 

The experiments therefore cannot hold good in the one case as 
in the other; because, when the powder is exploded in the large 
gun, (such as used by Commodore Stockton,) the greatest pressure, 
as before stated, in this as well as in all other fire-arms, is at 
the point of ignition, — the breeches. Now, the breeches, or that 
portion of the barrel surrounding the chambers in the experimental 
guns, were exactly of the same size as the other parts of the 
barrel; and consequently, if the gun contained at any time suf- 
ficient powder to burst it, it would necessarily be burst at the point 
where the greatest jjressure was exerted, and that of course would 
be at the breech, as already admitted. Again, when the ball is 
rammed home and the powder exploded, the force of the shock 
would of course be more confined to the breech than if the ball 
was far up the barrel. Moreover, the force expended on the breech 
at the instant of explosion under these circumstances — that is, with 
a regular home-charge — would be necessarily greater than that 
generated at the same point if the ball was not directly on the 
powder, for the ample reason that in the latter case there would be 
less positive resistance for the powder to overcome at the moment 
of ignition, owing to the absence of the ball from its ordinary 
position. The shock of the explosion would also be somewhat 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 428 

modified, in consequence of its first and most powerful effects 
having been exerted at the moment of combustion at the breechj 
and subsequently to a certain extent expended during the passage 
along the space intervening between the chamber of the gun and 
the point where the ball was impacted in the barrel. At this 
point the propelling fluid, we grant, would necessarily meet with a 
sudden check to its farther progress towards the muzzle, in conse- 
quence of the mechanical obstruction presented by the wedged 
ball. This check, however, would not produce, possihhj, a shock 
equal to that generated at the first impulse of the burning powder, 
and therefore could not burst the barrel at this point, if it did 
not do it at the point of ignition, where the metal in the ex- 
perimental guns was 7io stronger, and the force applied we assume 
to be much greater. 

This position being correct, the gun would not be so readily burst 
from an explosion, under these circumstances, as it would if the 
whole force was exerted upon the one point, as is the case when 
the ball is rammed home upon the charge; and consequently it 
would require a larger proportion of powder to develope the same 
degree of force, Avithout the immediate pressure of the ball, as 
would be generated if the ball were rammed tight upon the 
charge. 

This, however, would not be the case with a fowling-piece, for 
the reason that the barrel being of unequal thickness, and the 
breech four or five times as heavy as the muzzle and in a propor- 
tionate degree heavier than all other parts of the barrel as you 
advance towards the mouth, if a ball therefore become impacted 
in it, and ofier considerable resistance to the escape of the powder, 
the lateral pressure created by this shock might be more than 
Bufiicient to rend the gun in pieces at this point, when three times 
the same force would have no effect upon the breech eiid. 

From the foregoing remarks, therefore, it appears evident to us 
that it would require far more powder to burst a small gun with a 
regular home-charge than it would to burst it, if, Avhen set in 
motion, it should meet with a sudden and powerful resistance any 



424 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

distance up the barrel, either in the shape of a wad, ball, or any 
other accidental obstruction such as before mentioned. 

Although the internal pressure first produced at the moment of 
ignition be not sufficient to burst the barrel asunder at the breech, 
the sudden shock occasioned by the resistance of the obstruction, 
though not equal to the first force generated at the breech end, 
might be, however, quite sufiicient to tear the barrel to pieces at 
the point of contact. 

RECOIL. 

The recoil — or, as it is vulgarly called, "f/ie kick — of a gun* 
may be produced by several causes, all of which, however, have 
their primary origin in the projectile force of the powder, or rather 
in the resistance offered to the expansive fluid generated by the 
ignition or explosion of a mass of powder. In all fire-arms of 
perfect construction the recoil is in proportion to the friction or 
resistance offered during the exit of the shot from the barrels; 
and it is only when this resistance, or rather the consequence of 
this resistance, — the recoil, — becomes disagreeable to the shooter, 
that we look for the cause and the remedy, as there must, of course, 
under every circumstance, be some recoil in fire-arms, no matter 
how perfect the barrels may be in their construction. 

Imperfections in the manufacture of the barrels are fruitful 
sources of reaction in shot-guns; and, if they are not perfectly 
symmetrical in their bore and smooth throughout tlieir entire sur- 
face, the piece will rebound more or less severely at every dis- 
charge, no matter how small a quantity of poAvdcr may be used. 
If the barrel be wider at one point than at another, although this 
difi"erence may not be perceptible to the eye, the repercussion will 
be greatly increased ; as, the shot being somewhat arrested in its 
progress through the barrel, the impelling force of the powder 
exerts itself so much the more to overcome the barrier, and thus 
creates a back-action, which spends itself upon the breech. A 
recoil produced from such a cause is of a most dangerous character, 
nd will eventually burst the weapon, as it is impossible for barrels 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 425 

of any ordinary thickness to withstand tlic oft-repeated and violent 
efforts of the powder to force its way through the contracted point. 
For the same reason, a leaded or foul gun, hy offering a certain 
degree of resistance to the exit of the charge, will produce a recoil 
in proportion to the increased friction, Avhich, even in tlie best- 
constructed fowling-pieces, will often be very severe from such a 
cause. If the shot be too tightly rammed, or an over-quantity be 
used, the recoil, of course, will be increased in proportion to the 
resistance offered. A straight stock will feel the effects of this 
retro-action, or rather transmit those effects to the person of the 
shooter, much more severely than a crooked stock, as the latter, 
by receiving the force of the concussion in an oblique direction, 
breaks the shock before it reaches the extremity. Bad powder, 
particularly damp powder, adds greatly to the recoil ; and no doubt 
some of our readers have remarked that there is always more 
recalcitration on a wet day than on a clear one; this is owing, 
to-be-sure, in part, to the barrels getting dirty much sooner, but 
principally to the dampness of the powder, which impedes the im- 
mediate ignition of the whole mass, and consequently retards the 
exit of the shot, Avhich moves before the propelling force with a 
kind of jerking motion. 

It has been asserted by some writers that the position of the 
touch-hole regulates in a great measure the power of the recoil. 
Suppose, for example, that the touch-hole communicates with the 
centre of the mass of powder : it is contended that at the moment 
of ignition the expansive force of the generated fluid is exerted as 
strongly backwards upon the breech as it is forwards or upon the 
sides of the barrel; but, on the other hand, if the powder is 
ignited from the base of the mass, the whole expulsive force will 
be directed forwards upon the shot, and the recoil consequently 
be much lighter. The less a gun reacts, the more certain and 
effective will be the delivery of its shot ; as it is well ascertained 
that a piece made perfectly stationary in its bed will throw a ball 
much farther, and consequently with much more force, than one 
that is allowed to rebound at every discharge. A kicking gun, 



426 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

•when grasped tightly and held firmly to the shoulder, will spring 
"back far less than if lightly placed against it; it will also throw 
the shot much farther and with greater certainty. This fact may 
be very easily ascertained by a simple experiment. 

Suspend, for example, a fowling-piece by two cords from a 
suitable frame, or from the limb of a tree, in such a manner as to 
permit an unrestrained recoil, having first chai-ged it with the 
ordinary load of pov-der and shot; now fire the gun at a target 
properly arranged, and take especial note of the result; then load 
the piece as before, and secure it tightly, so that no rebound can 
take place ; move the target some distance farther off, and note the 
result of this discharge. It will be observed that the last fire will 
be far more eifective than the first, both as regards the strength 
and range, although the distance of the target has been con- 
siderably increased. 

In support of the time-honored hypothesis relating to the effects 
to be apprehended from the presence of certain obstructions, in- 
tentionally or accidentally placed up the barrels of small fire-arms, 
we hardly know what to advance. Although we have not made 
any experiments to establish the position, still we feel quite sure in 
asserting that the old-received opinion is perfectly correct ; that 
is, that there will he a greater recoil tvith the same amount of pow- 
der if there be some obstruction up the barrel, than there would he 
if the charge was properly rammed home. 

This opinion, however, is quite contrary to the results obtained 
by Commodore Stockton ; for he asserts that the recoil, as indicated 
hy the motion of the timber to which the guns were fastened, was 
less ivhen the ball was at a distance from the powder than when it 
was rammed home. This, certainly, is very much at variance with- 
the popular belief. 

If a gun be fired with an ordinary charge of powder, and be 
perfect in its construction, there will not be any retrograde motion 
of the piece, or in other words recoil, felt at the shoulder; or, if 
there be any, it will be of such a trifling nature that it is not worth 
noticing. 



I 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 427 

There is, however, a recoil ; and this recoil, as before observed, 
is deadened in proportion to the weight of metal in the breech, 
the shape and build of the stock, as well as in some measure by 
the mode of holding the weapon. 

If, however, the charge in its exit from the gun should meet 
with any obstruction far up the barrel, where the metal is thin and 
the gun only lightly balanced in the hand by a grasp of the stock 
near the guard, the sudden shock given to it by the resistance of 
the obstacle encountered will communicate a jar or quick jerk to 
the weapon, which will be felt at the shoulder, and not expended, 
as in the other case, upon the breech or stock. 

The reason of this, we presume, is that the retro-action imparted 
to a fowling-piece by a regular charge of powder and shot is not a 
jumping, jerking rebound, but a regular and steady recoil, as it 
were confined to the thick chambers of the gun, and lost upon the 
stock before it reaches the shoulder of the shooter; but, in the 
other case, the motion imparted to the gun is a jumping or jerking 
recoil, which has not the heavy breech to break its immediate 
efiects upon, and is consequently transmitted without interruption 
along the outside of the barrel directly to the person of the 
sportsman. 

This action will be quite different in the case of the experi- 
mental ordnance-pieces, as has been already demonstrated; for 
there was neither a heavy breech nor long stock to ward off or 
receive the repercussion in those guns, and the v,'hole force of the 
explosion consequently was transmitted immediately to the timber 
to which they were all attached, and necessarily occasioned the 
conclusion arrived ut by Commodore Stockton. 

Commodore Stockton's little pamphlet, the result of much care 
and ingenuity on his part in the prosecution of these highly in- 
teresting experiments, requires no notice from us: it speaks for 
itself. But we may be permitted to state that we were led to this 
partial review of some of its points from the interest we felt in the 
subject, and from the circumstance of a copy having been sent to 



428 



LEWISS AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



US by a sporting friend, who requested our views on the novel as 
well as rather startling results. 

In conclusion, we beg to remind our readers that we have not 
denied, nor have we attempted to disprove, any of the conclusions 
arrived at by the commodore ; we have only endeavored to explain 
some of these results, and to shoAV that they do not, in our judg- 
ment, affect the operations of sporting -guns, nor are they suffi- 
ciently conclusive to change our old-fashioned views on this sub- 
ject. As far as the experiments go, they are quite satisfactory; 
and they certainly have developed some rather strange phenomena, 
— at all events have given rise to some very new ideas in reference 
t^ the matter, which we doubt not will prove hereafter of much 
f Tactical utility in " gunnery." 





CHAPTER XXVIII. 



DISCOVERY AND INTRODUCTION OF GUNPOWDEB. 



OME writers assert that the use of gun- 
powder, as well as ordnance, was well 
known to certain of the ancients as far 
back as the year of our Lord eighty- 
five; and in support of this hypothesis 
the following remarks of UfFano, on the 
•' authority of Robert Norton, the author 
of a work entitled The Gunner^ printed 
in London in 16G4, are often quoted, viz.: — "That the invention 
and use, as well of ordnance as of gunpowder, was in the eighty- 
fifth yeare of our Lord made known and practised in the great and 
ingenious kingdom of China ; and that in the maretyme provinces 
thereof there yet remain certaine pieces of ordnance, both of iron 

and brasse, with the memory of their yeares of founding engraved 

429 




rv^^: 



430 lewis's ameeican sportsman. 

upon them, and the armes of King Vitnej, who, he saith, was the 
inventor." 

Another passage from Philostratus, the historian of Apollonius 
Tyanoeus, about the commencement of the third century, has 
also been referred to by writers in favor of the antiquity of this 
invention. In speaking of a people of India called Oxydracse, 
this ancient authority remarks: — '"These truly wise men dwelt 
between the rivers Hyphasis and Ganges. Their country Alexander 
the Great never entered, deterred, not by fear of the inhabitants, 
but, as I suppose, by religious considerations ; for, had he passed 
the Hyphasis, he might doubtless have made himself master of the 
country all around them ; but their cities he never could have 
taken, though he had led a thousand as brave as Achilles or three 
thousand such as Ajax to the assault, for they come not out into 
the field to fight those who attack them, but these holy men, be- 
loved by the gods, overthrow their enemies by tempests and thun- 
derbolts shot from the walls. It is said that the Egyptian Her- 
cules and Bacchus, wdien they overran India, avoided this people also, 
and, having prepared warlike engines, attempted to conquer them. 
They made no show of resistance ; but upon the enemy's near ap- 
proach to their cities they were repulsed with storms of lightning 
and thunderbolts hurled upon them from above." 

In the Ojnis Magus of Friar Bacon, who died about 1294, may 
be found a particular description of the effects of a certain com- 
pound of saltpetre and other ingredients, which, when ignited, gave 
results analogous to those of thunder and lightning; and, further- 
more, it is stated when these elements are rightly amalgamated 
and properly applied, the force of the explosion would be suffi- 
ciently powerful to destroy not only an ai*my, but even to overturn 
an entire city. 

These remarks, together with some others even still more per- 
spicuous on this head, have led most inquirers to conclude that the 
learned friar was at least well acquainted with the components and 
efiects, if not well versed in the precise composition and applica- 
tion, of gunpowder. 



DISCOVERY AND INTRODUCTION OF GUNPOWDER. 431 

This information, it may very justly be presumed, was not ori- 
ginal with himself, but rather obtained from the others of his 
brotherhood, tlie monks, who had learned of its existence among 
the Chinese, as well as seen its operations during their missions in 
those far-distant regions, from whence they had then lately re- 
turned. 

Some writers go so far as to suppose that the pious but wily 
monk was well acquainted with the composition of gunpowder, 
as well as its terrible effects, but at the same time assert that he 
was fearful of betraying the wonderful secret, knowing full well 
that its introduction into the world would be attended with the 
most calamitous consequences; and, for humanity's sake alone, if 
not from other ulterior motives, he determined to keep the secret 
as long from the knowledge of man as possible. 

Be all this as it may, there is no doubt that Berthold 
Schwarz, a German monk of the Order of St. Francis, was the 
first person who made the composition of this wondrous sub- 
stance generally known to the Avorld, and that the discovery, 
though ancient it might he, was nevertheless altogether original 
with himself. 

The circumstances of the discovery are these : — Berthold Schwarz, 
a native of Freiburg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, during his 
relaxation from monastic duties, occupied much of his time in the 
fascinating and absorbing pursuit of chemistry. During some of 
his manipulations, having pounded in a mortar an accidental mix- 
ture of charcoal, sulphur, and nitre, he was amazed and wildly 
astounded by its sudden and fearful explosion on the hap-hazard 
application of a spark of fire. 

This terrible but at the same time novel exhibition of power in a 
simple compound like this very naturally aroused in the mind of 
the zealous student a spirit of investigation; and the result of 
further experiment was the discovery of that still mysterious 
composition known as gunpowder, — a discovery which has not only 
immortalized the otherwise obscure monk, but, since its general 
introduction and application to the use of fire-arms, has actually 



432 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

given rise to a new era in the workings of man, — in fact, has been 
the chief and all-powerful instrument in not only shaping the 
mighty affairs of great nations in times past, but must ever con- 
tinue to exercise a decided influence over the destinies of mankind 
in all time to come. 

All this happened about the year 1340 ; and the city of Freiburg 
has lately very properly conmiemorated the wonderful event by 
the erection of a handsome fountain, emblazoned Avith suitable in- 
scriptions and surmounted by a statue of the fortunate discoverer. 

CANNON. 

Notwithstanding the reputed antiquity of cannon, they were 
little known in England before the fourteenth century, and were 
first employed as an engine of war by Edward III. At this early 
period of their introduction into military service, they were of rude 
construction and cumbersome proportions, and so continued, with 
little or no improvement, till the reign of Henry VIII. This 
monarch soon undertook the manufacture of ordnance, which was 
continued with spirit and energy by his persevering successor, 
Queen Elizabeth, and, during her reign, vast improvements were 
made in their fabrication. The "hand-goune" was next invented, 
— an instrument sufliciently rude in its construction Avhen compared 
with the guns of the present day, but still, as a first efi"ort in this 
branch of manufacture, a very serviceable weapon of attack as 
well as defence. This "goune" was made light enough to be 
carried about by one person, and was fired by the application of a 
match. 

The stocked gun was the next improvement, which also was 
fired by the application of a lighted match to the priming, either 
through the medium of a match-lock or by the direct interposition 
of the hand. 

The "wheel-lock" was the next invention, and approximated 
closely in principle if not in construction to the flint-lock of the 
present day, a spark of fire being produced and communicated to 
the priming by the friction of a notched wheel passing rapidly 



THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 



433 



over the edge of a flint-stone. The flint-lock of the present da^r 
"was the next step in order; and the percussion-lock, in its approveJ 
form, was the last and best of all. 




THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 

The gun being the principal instrument by means of which the 
sportsman destroys his game, it seems proper that it should now 
claim our particular attention, as the proper knowledge of its parts 
and uses, as well as its perfections and imperfections, should be 
thoroughly understood by the tyro before entering upon the sports 
of the field. Without imparting this information, we cannot expect 
our sporting friends to be competent to provide themselves with 
such fowling-pieces as will come up to our ideal of beauty or 
answer the good purposes that we design to exhibit in a superior 
gun. Many of our readers will smile in anticipation of a long and 
tedious dissertation upon a subject in Avhich they can take but 
little interest beyond the mere outward examination of an instru- 
ment the skilful making and putting together of which has occu- 
pied the minds of many of the most intelligent and ingenious spirits 
of the Old World as well as the New. Many of our sportsmen are 
content to go to the field with a second-rate or third-rate gun, feeling 

well satisfied with its goodness provided it kills occasionally at long 

28 



434 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

distances and does not burst when overcharged. The nipples, to-be- 
sure, will sometimes fly out, and the locks now and then get out of 
order; but these trifling inconveniences can soon be rectified by 
application to the gunsmith, village blacksmith, or perhaps by the 
shooter's own ready genius. Notwithstanding these occasional 
mishaps, the gun is pronounced a "good one," and no thought is 
had of any thing superior, although many a fine day's sport has 
been interrupted by these "little annoyances" that cannot be 
helped. The luxury of a superior gun, if we may so speak, is 
never' dreamed of by these people; and they cannot conceive the 
possibility of shooting for years with the same fowling-piece with- 
out once seeing it the least out of order. A weapon so dangerous 
as a gun, even in the hands of the most careful, should certainly 
be of excellent quality, and all its parts made of such materials as 
to insure its safety at all times, under judicious management, and 
leave no room for those melancholy accidents that so often occur 
from the bursting and going ofi" of inferior guns when least ex- 
pected, owing to impurity of metal or the imperfect structure of 
the locks or other portions of the machinery. 

We do not intend to occupy, or rather bore, the reader with a 
long scientific dissertation upon gun-making, but merely wish to 
direct his attention to the subject in such a way that he will gain 
in a few pages all the practical information in reference to a gun 
that will be necessary to make him familiar with its history, 
manufacture, and construction. 

Before the introduction of guns into England, the longbow and 
crossbow were the weapons mostly employed in war, as well as for 
the chase. The latter instrument was most in favor with sports- 
men, owing to the greater strength and certainty with which it 
threw its arrows. Although the use of fire-arms, as before stated, 
was somewhat known during the reign of Elizabeth, as well as that 
of her predecessor, Henry the Eighth, and even as far back as 
Edward the Third, (1327,) who is said to have first used a species 
of mortar for the purpose of ejecting large stones against the Scots 
when bombarding them in their native fastnesses, still, these rude 



THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 435 

■weapons were of so unwieldy a character that it was not thought 
of introducing them into the chase. Even in the reign of Eliza- 
beth, the muskets made under her directions for the use of the 
army were so large and heavy that it was impossible for the soldier 
to travel any great distance with them, or to hold them out at 
arm's length for the purpose of firing : but each one was obliged to 
carry a staflf with him, which he stuck in the ground to rest the 
instrument upon while taking aim at his adversary. It was not 
till the reign of Charles the First (1625) that small-arms were 
made of such proportions as adapted them to the use of sportsmen ; 
and even at this late period — nearly three hundred years after the 
introduction of gunpowder — the small-arms, though vastly im- 
proved, were still rude and cumbersome instruments, and suitable 
only for the pursuit of large animals, as they could not be handled 
or discharged with sufiicient ease to enable the bearer to kill a bird 
on the wing. These weapons, like many other articles, have gone 
through a regular series of improvements, until at last they have 
in the present age arrived at a state of perfection beyond which it 
is difficult to conceive any thing superior. Although the manu- 
facture of guns has arrived at its present state of excellency, there 
are thousands of miserable guns thrown into the markets of this 
country ; and very few really good ones are to be obtained, except 
from those who import directly from some one of the celebrated 
makers of England, or by applying only to some two or three of 
our own gunsmiths either in Philadelphia or New York ; and then 
it is no easy matter to get exactly what the sportsman wishes, if 
he be not able to describe minutely and superintend in a measure 
the building of it himself. The reason of this is that our me- 
chanics have so many tastes and fancies to please, owing principally 
to the ignorance of those who order fowling-pieces, that they have 
adopted no generally-acknowledged standard or style to guide 
them in the getting up of guns suitable for certain kinds of sport. 
We wish our readers to acquire a certain degree of information 
on these points, so that they may sit at home and give an order for 
a gun to be made in some distant city, using all the terms and tech- 



436 . lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

nicalities appertaining to the instrument in sucli a business-like 
manner that their description may be perfectly comprehended not 
only by themselves but also by the gunsmith, which will prevent the 
occurrence of any mistakes on the part of the mechanic or disap- 
pointments to the sportsman. All this information can be obtained 
by a few hours of reading and examination of the various parts of 
the gun. The first thing to be acquired is a knowledge of the terms 
used by gunsmiths when speaking of a gun ; we will therefore com- 
mence our lesson by an alphabetical list of these terms, with which 
every sportsman should be familiar. 

Antechamber. — The small opening or passage forming a connection between 

the end of the tube and the chamber, and through which the fire from the 

cap is conducted to the powder lying in the chamber. 
Bolts— -The small sliding pins that pass through the fore-end of the stock, 

and, fitting in the loops of the barrels, secure them in their position. 
BoLT-LOOPS. — Small iron loops or eyes attached to the barrel, through which 

the bolts pass to fasten the barrel to the stock. 
Break-off, or False Breeching. — The piece of metal made fast to the stock 

by the cross-pin, into which the hooks of the breeches must be inserted 

before the barrels will slip into their bed. 
Bridle. — The piece of polished steel, pai'tly covering the tumbler and scear, 

in which the pivot of the tumbler works, holding all the machinery secure. 
Bridle-pins. — Small screws which keep the bridle in its place. 
Cap. — The piece of metal covering the worm of the ramrod. 
Cap. — The metal finish at the extreme point of the stock. 
Chain, or Swivel. — A small piece of steel fastened to the neck of the tumbler 

to receive the end of the mainspring. . 

Chamber, or Cup. — The space or opening in the centre of the breech designed 

to hold a portion of the charge of powder. 
Cock, Hammer, or Striker. — The arm of the lock, which, being freed by the 

pressure of the fore-finger on the trigger, falls on the nipple and explodes 

the cap. 
Cross-pin, or False-breech Screw. — The screw which, passing through the 

trigger-plate and stock, secures the break-off or false breeching. 
CdP. — See Chamber. 
Escutcheons. — Pieces of metal set in the stock through which the bolts pass, 

so as to prevent the wearing or chafing of the woodwork. Also, the metal 

shield or thumb-piece on which the crest or name is engraved. 



THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 437 

Face or Head of the Hammer. — That portion of the cock surrounded with a 

rim, guard, or nose, which on its fall comes in contact with the nipple and 

explodes the cap. 
False Breeching. — See Break-off. 
False-breech screw. — See Cross-fin. 
Guard. — Curved plate of metal to protect the triggers. 
Cjuard-screws. — The screws by which the guard is fastened to the stock. 
Hammer. — See Cock. 
IIammer-bridle. — That portion of the lock in which the tail of the hammer 

works. 
Hammer-spring. — The pin on which the tail of the hammer is moved. 
Head of the Hammer. — See Face of the Hammer. 
Heel-plate. — The plate with Avhich the butt is tipped. 
Heel-plate Screws. — Screws which secure the heol-plate to the stock. 
Lock-plate. — Plate to Avhich the works of the lock are attached. 
Mainspring. — The large spring attached to the swivel by which the lock is 

worked. 
.Nipple, Pivot, or Tube. — The small steel pillar screwed into the breeches, on 

which the copper cap is placed. 
Patent Breech. — The piece of metal which is screwed into the end of the 

barrel and forms the chamber. 
Pipes. — Bands to receive the ramrod. 
Pivot. — See Nipple. 

Ramrod-uead. — The piece of metal which, surrounding the head of the ram- 
rod, prevents it from splitting. 
Eamrod-screw, or Worm. — The screw at the end of the rod for the purpose 

of drawing a wad. 
Rod-stop. — The small piece of metal on the inner side of the barrel, contiguous 

to the muzzle, which prevents the ramrod from slipping out. 
ScEAR. — The small piece of metal which catches in the bends of the tumblers 

for whole or half-cock, and, when pushed out of position by the trigger, 

permits the cock to fall on the cap. 
Scear-pin. — The small screw which passes through the scear into the lock-plate 

and keeps it in its proper position. 
ScEAR-sPRiNG. — The spring which forces and holds the scear in the bends or 

notches of the tumbler. 
ScEAR-sPRiNG ScREW. — The screw which keeps the scear-spring in its place. 
Scroll-guard. — Extension of the guard to protect the hand. 
SiDE-piN, OR Nail. — The screw that holds the lock to the stock. 
Sight. — The piece of metal attached to the end of the gun-barrel, to assist 

the eye in taking aim at the object. 



438 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Sight-plate. — See Top-piece. 

Spring-cramp. — An instrument for taking out the mainspring. 

Stock. — The wood portion of the piece. 

Striker. — See Cock. 

SwiVF.L. — See Chain. 

Top-piece, Sight-plate, or Upper Eib. — The elevated metal plate along which 

the eye is directed to the sight. 
Triggers. — Light pieces of metal protected by the guard, extending to the 

interior of the lock, and which, upon being pressed by the forefinger, with- 
draw the scear from the tumbler, and thus permit the cock to fall and 

explode the cap. 
Trigger-plate. — The plate in which the trigger works. 
Trigger-spring. — The small spring that, pressing against the trigger, keeps 

it close to the scear. 
Tube. — See Nipple. 
Tumbler. — The movable centre-piece of a lock, having an axle passing through 

the lock-plate to which the cock is fastened. 
Tumbler-screw or pin. — The screw with which the cock or hammer is fastened 

to the tumbler. 
Under Cross-pin. — The screw which passes through the front of the guard 

or trigger-plate into the base of the break-off 
Under Rib. — The plate of metal running the whole length of the barrels, 

which, together with the upper rib or sight-plate, holds them securely 

together. 
Upper Rib. — See Top-piece. 
Vent, or Vent-hole. — A small hole at the side of the breeching, intended to 

allow the escape of a portion of the explosive force and lessen the recoil. 
Worm. — See Ramrod-screw. 




GUNS MADE TO ORDER. 439 



GUNS MADE TO ORDER. 

Guns are made to order in this country at a much less price 
than they can be imported from England : that is, if they are pur- 
chased of celebrated makers, who of course charge considerably 
for their reputation. 

Westley Richards, one of the most noted gunmakers of England, 
who perhaps turns out more good guns than any other manufac- 
turer in that country, is, we believe, very generally known by 
reputation to all American sportsmen, many of whom pride them- 
selves in the possession of his fowling-pieces. 

The following memorandum contains the dimensions and make 
of a very superior partridge-gun, built to order and imported by a 
gentleman of this city. For the information of our readers, we 
have also added a copy of the bill as rendered by the manufac- 
turer, together with the actual estimate of shipping-charges, duty, &c. 
The price paid, no doubt, will seem very exorbitant to many of 
our sportsmen, who are contented with guns at half or a third of 
the price ; but when the workmanship and superior quality of the 
article are duly considered, we cannot but be satisfied with the 
price, as high as it may appear. 

DIMENSIONS BY ACTUAL MEASUREMENT. 

Whole length of stock, from butt to cap, two feet one inch. 

Length or depth of butt, five and a half inches, with a slightly concave 
surface two inches in width. 

From axis of cock to cap, ten and a quarter inches. 

Width of stock before the guard, one inch and three-quarters, and made 
square. 

Length of barrels, including chambers, two feet six inches. 

Weight of barrels, four pounds. 

Whole weight of gun, seven pounds. 

Whole length of gun, from butt to point of barrels, three feet ten inches. 

Bore, No. 14. 

Load, one and a quarter ounces shot, with same bidk of powder. 



440 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



BILL. 

82 High Street, Birmingham. 

Westley Kichards, gun-manufacturer to his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Agent in 
London, AA'm Bishop, No. 170 New Bond Street. 

Best double-barrel gun, 14 gauge, No. 5723 £31 10 

Mahogany case complete;* best leather cover, 36s.; 2000 caps, 205.; 
box of wads, 8s 3 4 

£34 14 

Add to the foregoing bill the following charges, and 

we will have the exact cost of the piece : — 

Exchange, 10 per cent £3 9 3 

Shipping charges, freight, insurance 100 

Duty 11114 £16 7 

£50 14 7. 

or 

$225 46 

Sportsmen should not hesitate between a doubtful and a superior 
gun on account of a trifling expenditure, as it is a purchase that 
is made only once or twice in a lifetime; and there is a certain 
degree of comfort and pleasure in going to the field for a day's 
amusement Avith the assurance of handling a weapon which no: 
ordinary usage can injure, and that we have nothing to fear from 
accidents, which feeling of confidence richly repays us for all the 
unusual outlay. 

The saving of a few dollars in the purchase of a gun would ill 
repay a shooter for the loss of a hand by an explosion, or perhaps 
the maiming of a friend or the death of a valuable dog by the 
going off" of his gun, owing to poorly-made locks. There are few 
or no guns made entirely in this country; the barrels and locks 
are generally imported from England. When about being made 
up by respectable gunsmiths, they are subjected to a proof-test, 
although they may already have the proof-mark on them. 



* Containing powder-flask, shot-bag. liquor-flask, and implements for cleaning, 
extra ramrod, &c. Since this purchase the pi-ice has been advanced two or three 
pounds, making a difi'erence of ten or fifteen dollars in the cost. 



GUNSMITHS. 441 



GUNSMITHS. 



We have in our country several deserving and ingenious me' 
chanics wlio have devoted many years to the manufactui'e of 
fire-arms ahnost exclusively for sporting-purposes; and if they 
had met with half the liberality and encouragement that are so 
freely bestowed by the English gentry upon the same class of 
operatives in the old country, we no doubt should now be able to 
boast of men in this branch of business who could vie in every 
thing with those of England. 

Our sportsmen, however, are too much in the habit of trusting 
their lives, as well as those of their friends, to the use of one of 
the many cheap guns which are either imported into this country 
from England, or, what is still worse, from Germany. This being 
the case, we cannot be surprised at the. frequent occurrence of 
accidents of a serious character, in every section of the country, 
during the shooting-season. 

There are several gunmakers in New York, all of whom are said 
to be clever in their profession. Each and every one of them 
have their patrons, always ready to extol them and their works to 
the skies. We are not, however, personally acquainted with any 
of them, and therefore only state what Ave have learned from others 
respecting these men. We have examined some of their work, 
and certainly have no fault to find with the greater portion of that 
which has come under our notice as "crack jobs," although their 
ordinary every-day work is far inferior to much of the ^ame kind 
turned out of the second-rate gunshops of England. 

In Philadelphia we also have several respectable gunmakers 
entitled to notice. All of these mechanics are about on a par 
with those of New York, although they claim for themselves a 
superiority over those of the latter city; with what truth, how- 
ever, we know not, as their work all seems about the same in 
appearance and quality, and their guns shoot no farther or stronger, 
so far as we are able to judge. In what their superiority consists 
we are at a loss to say, except it be in the fact that they turn out 



442 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

work at a much less cost than they do in New York, which, of 
course, is some recommendation to every one, provided it is equally 
good; and this one circumstance is perhaps sufficient to account 
for the many orders which the Philadelphia gunsmiths receive 
from New York sportsmen. 

We have handled many fine guns, fresh from the hands of the 
gunmakers of our city, and no doubt there are many persons 
ready to say they have seen as many bad ones. In this particular 
the respectable mechanics of America differ from those of Eng- 
land. With us, they turn out good, bad, and indifferent work 
every day, calculated to suit the requirements of trade, or rather 
the tastes and purses of their customers; whereas those of the 
old country — we mean those of some reputation — have but one 
style of doing business, and that is, all that comes from their shops 
is as perfect as it can be made, and the sending forth of one bad 
piece of workmanship would not unfrequently be attended with 
heavy loss, if not perhaps professional ruin. In matters of sport- 
ing the English are extremely particular, and consequently are 
less disposed to forgive or forget a piece of negligence on the part 
of a gunsmith than any other mechanic, as such negligence or 
slighting of work is often attended with serious results, in the 
maiming or perhaps untimely death of some one of their number, 
perhaps from among a large circle of influential sporting friends, 
whose patronage alone is sufficient to make a fortune, — at all events, 
quite strong enough to create or destroy the professional reputation 
of any gunsmith in the country whose character as a mechanic is 
not already well and deservedly established. 




WELDING BARRELS. 443 

WELDING BARRELS. 

The process for making common gun-barrels is very simple, and 
is done in the following manner: — A bar of iron is heated and 
hammered out into a thin flexible rod, resembling a good-sized 
hoop, of a length and thickness proportionate to the size and 
weight of the intended barrel. This rod is beat thinner at the 
muzzle-end than it is at the end intended for the breech. 

This being arranged, the hoop is heated and turned round a 
mandrel, (a rod of tempered iron much smaller than the intended 
bore of the gun,) with the edges overlapping each other the half of 
an inch or so, and Avhen welded together the barrels have the ap- 
pearance of being manufactured or bored from a solid rod of iron. 
After being turned round the mandrel, the overlapping joints of 
the hoop are welded together by heating three or four inches of 
the tube at a time, and beating upon an anvil furnished with several 
semicircular furrows suitable for the various-sized barrels that are 
manufactured. This is the modus 02:)erandi adopted for forging 
common barrels, such as are used for exportation, and of which 
trash immense quantities come to this country through the hands 
of our hardwaremen. 

The forging of stub-twist barrels and other barrels of a better 
description is quite a different operation, and requires far more 
labor and skill. The rod of iron is first heated to a red heat, a 
few inches at a time, and, one end being made stationary in a vice 
or other suitable contrivance, the other is seized by an instrument 
with a handle similar to an auger, by means of which it is twisted 
round a bar of iron (the mandrel) much smaller than the intended 
bore. By this operation the fibres of the metal are twisted in a 
spiral direction, which arrangement is known to resist the explosive 
force of powder much more than when the fibres all run longitudi- 
nally. The hoops or rods of the best stub-twist are generally about 
half an inch or less in width, and consequently there will be over two 
spirals in every inch of barrel, when the twisting process is com- 
plete, as the joints are not made to overlap each other, but are forced 



4cM> LEAVIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

to unite bv a process termed "jumping," after the bar is entirely 
twisted. The greater the number of spirals to an inch, the more 
labored and perfect is the manufacture of the barrel, and the more 
expensive is the getting of it up. The rods for wire-twist barrels 
are extremely narrow, — only three-eighths of an inch, or less, in 
width; and the quantity of spirals is consequently increased. 

After the hoops have been tAvisted round the rods, the spirals 
are joined together by heating the unclosed cylinder to a welding- 
heat and striking the end against the anvil, which springs them 
together so forcibly that, with a little hammering, the whole 
cylinder becomes welded as if formed of only one continuous piece. 
After the spirals are joined, the barrel is hammered in the grooves 
of the anvil to make it perfectly round. 

It requires two, three, or four spiral cylinders, according to the 
length of the piece, to make one barrel; and great nicety and 
dexterity are necessary to join them together so that the barrel 
may appear to have been made out of one rod only. In common 
barrels this union of the rods may be distinctly seen upon examina- 
tion before they are stained, and indeed very often after they come 
from the stainer's hands. 

The next process in the manufacture of barrels is what is termed 
" hammer-hardening, ' ' which is accomplished by beating the metal for 
a considerable time in the grooves of the anvil with light hammers, 
for the purpose of closing the pores, increasing the density and 
elasticity, and rendering the texture more firm, flexible, and solid. 
This labor is not often bestowed upon ordinary barrels, got up 
merely for the home or foreign trade, but on ordered or show-guns 
only. 

BORING. 

The barrels are now submitted to the boring-mill for the pur- 
pose of giving them their proper calibre. This end is accom- 
plished with the assistance of steam. The barrel being properly 
arranged on a frame, the boring-bit is introduced into the muzzle, 
and, by the application of the necessary power, is made to traverse 



GRINDING AND TURNING. 445 

the whole extent of the barrel, a stream of water playing upon the 
metal during the Avhole process, for the purpose of keeping down 
the heat that is engendered by the severe friction of the bit, and 
which, if alloAved to increase to its full extent, might injure the 
quality of the metal. 

The first or rough boring being finished, a bit of still larger size 
is now introduced, and the same process gone through with until 
the barrel is entirely freed from all unevenness and its whole inter- 
nal surface made to shine like a mirror. 

If the barrels, after repeated borings, should still exhibit an un- 
even sm-face and present flaws and depressions, they are rejected, 
and the metal returned to the forge, as it would be unsafe to bore 
them still thinner when the metal is so soft and frangible. 

Some gunsmiths bore barrels by hand ; and a good workman will 
make a beautiful instrument in this way, although it will take 
treble the time to finish it. The utmost nicety is requisite in the 
boring of barrels, as they should be perfect cylinders, and of exact 
calibre throughout their entire length. When they have passed 
the inspection of the lynx-eyed workman to whom this important 
process is confided, the barrels are handed over to the grinder, to 
be ground, turned, and polished. 

GRINDING. 

The barrels being bored, the grinder submits them to the friction 
of a revolving stone, for the purpose of fi-eeing them from all the 
scales and roughness which cover them when they come from the 
hands of the welder. 

TURNING. 

A smooth surface being obtained by the application of the stone 
by the grinder, the barrels are next to be turned, which is ac- 
complished either with a common turning-lathe or a self-acting 
machine. 

A mandrel exactly fitting the size of the barrel is first intro- 
duced; the barrel is then placed in the lathe and the machine set 



446 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

in motion, and the whole process completed in a very short time, I 
without any further interference on the part of the workman. 

Turning by steam is far cheaper and even much superior to 
handwork, as the process of turning with a common hand-lathe is 
laborious in the extreme, and quite uncertain except in the hands 
of very superior and skilful mechanics. 

The process of turning by a simple lathe is as follows : — The 
barrel being fixed in the lathe, an inch or so of the surface, both 
at the breech and muzzle end, is turned to the proper diameter; 
the rest is then removed to a distance of four or five inches from 
these points, and another inch or so of the surface at either end is 
removed, and so on ; great care being taken, however, at each opera- 
tion, to make the depth of the turning correspond with the size and 
calibre of the barrel. This part of the process being accomplished, 
the next step is to file away, by means of an instrument termed a 
" float," the projecting surfaces of the barrel intervening between the 
parts cut out by the lathe; the barrels are now ready for breech- 
ing and the tests of the proof-house. 

BRAZING AND BREECHING. 

The barrels for double-guns are now filed away at the breech 
and muzzle, to make them lie against each other snugly, bound 
together, and then brazed with hard solder or brass for several 
inches. The practice of brazing is highly censured by Greener, 
who asserts that by this process the strength of common barrels is 
diminished twelve and a half per cent., and that of hammer-hard- 
ened barrels to a still greater extent. His ideas on the subject 
are doubtless very correct, as the heating of the metal afresh to a 
white heat, for the purpose of brazing, must necessarily take away 
a portion of the tenacity or strength which it has already acquired 
during the process of hammer-hardening. After the brazing, the 
barrels are tapped or turned out, ready for the reception of the 
breeches, and then sent to the proof-house. 



PROVING BARRELS. 447 



PROVING BARRELS. 

There is no department in the manufacture of a gun in Avhich 
there is more deception than that of the proving-house. "VVe do not 
wish to be understood to say that frauds upon the public actually 
take place under the eye and with the full cognizance of the com- 
panies to whom this important duty is confided; but wcAvish to in- 
form our readers that large quantities of barrels are palmed off on 
the public, and particularly on the American market, having all the 
insignia of the London and Birmingham proof-houses, which never, 
at any time, were across the threshold of either establishment. 

This is accomplished by forging the marks of these companies, 
and the deception is carried on to a very great extent ; our readers, 
therefore, will see at once how much reliance can be placed on 
these marks when pointed out to them by the regular dealers as 
tests of the goodness of suspicious-looking guns. 

The proving of gun-barrels was first introduced, according to 
writers on the subject, about the twelfth century, and originated with 
the company of gun-makers themselves. The enactments respecting 
the department, however, after a while became null and void, from 
a want of adequate means and a proper disposition on the part of 
the manufacturers to enforce them. Public attention, however, 
was again aroused to the importance of this matter early in the 
present century, owing to the discredit that had fallen on all Eng- 
lish hand-arms, insomuch that sportsmen were obliged to seek their 
guns in other quarters than their own country, and considerable 
numbers were purchased in Spain and France for their use. In 
1815, further legislation upon this subject made it obligatory upon 
all manufacturers to send their gun-barrels either to the London 
or Birmingham proof-houses to be tested, under a penalty of twenty 
pounds for every infraction of this ordinance ; and the same fine 
was attached to the forging of the proof-marks of these companies. 
Previous to these enactments, thousands of guns were manufactured 
for the foreign trade which Avere perfectly good-for-nothing, and 
the dealers themselves in these "sham-guns, sham-dam, park- 



"448 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

palings," as they were termed, knew full well that they Avould 
most Hkely burst under the first explosion of a moderate-sized 
charge of powder and shot. Large numbers of these dangerous 
weapons were sent to this country ; but they were furnished in far 
greater numbers to the slave-dealers for their nefarious and in- 
human traffic on the coast of Africa. One of these worthless instru- 
ments, costing but a few shillings, was the usual price at that time 
of a human being ; and what made the transaction still more unholy 
was the full knowledge, on the part of the traders, that the igno- 
rant and degraded barterer in his own flesh and blood would soon 
pay the penalty of his wickedness, in the loss of a portion of his 
hand, if not his life, by the bursting of his ill-gotten prize. 

In spite of the parliamentary enactments for the government 
of this important department, great frauds, as before stated, still 
continue to be practised upon the public, particularly upon foreign 
consumers. | 

If all the gun-barrels that come to our country were properly 
tested on the other side, we would not so often hear of the burst- 
ing of guns and the distressing accidents consequent upon these 
mishaps. The fact is, that the London and Birmingham proof- 
marks are not only forged in England, but they are even imitated 
in Germany; and large quantities of the latter trash, far worse 
than the most inferior English, are imported into our country, and 
may be bought at almost any price ranging from five to fifteen 
dollars for a double-barrelled gun of quite respectable appear- 
ance, and warranted in good faith by the ignorant dealers a regu- 
lar stub-twist. 

Greener gives a proof-scale of charges by which every barrel 
should be tested at the established proof-houses, and also furnishes 
a complete description of the whole business, which is quite inte- 
resting and instructive. All the respectable gunmakers of Ame- 
rica test their gun-barrels themselves before they make them up for 
their customers. 

The London proof-house requires that double-barrelled guns be 
joined together and breeched before testing, so that the gunsmith 



STAINING BARRELS. 449 

may be prevented from making them weaker by filing and brazing 
after the proof is stamped on them. 




STAINING BARRELS. 

There are a great many modes adopted as well as receipts given 
for the staining of gun-barrels: the basis of all, however, is the 
action of acids on the metal. Great nmnbers of inferior barrels 
are thus colored to resemble those of a superior quality, and these 
deceptions are very difficult to be discovered by inexperienced 
eyes. It was formerly supposed that the presence of ^' snioJce-hrown 
staining" was a positive guarantee of the quality of the metal from 
which the piece was manufactured : such, however, is no longer the 
case, as the gunsmiths are now enabled to produce this particular 
coloring even on the most ordinary barrels. In fact, so numerous 
and artful are the tricks now resorted to by the Birmingham people 
to deceive their customers, that the only safe plan left by which 
to secure a good and trusty gun is to order one of "a competent 
and Jionorable artist," of whom there are several on this side of the 
water as well as on the other. 

THE METAL USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUNS. 

Very few sportsmen are acquainted with the peculiar kinds of 
iron used in the manufacture of gun-barrels. Although they fre- 
quently make use of the terms "stub-and-twist," "wire-twist," 
''Damascus barrels," &c., they are generally quite ignorant of the 
real meaning of these terms, and know nothing of their import, 

origin, or application; in truth, they palaver often like parrots, 

29 



450 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

without understanding the very phrases they make use of. This 
being the case, we shall endeavor to enlighten them on the subject 
in as short a space as possible, as we have so many other topics to 
treat of that we fear to dilate on any subject lest our work become 
too voluminous for our sporting friends to wade through. 

STUB-TWIST BARRELS. 

These barrels are very scarce, — that is, the real genuine stub- 
twist, — owing to the great diiEculty of collecting the materials 
from which they are manufactured, the cost of working, &c. This 
may at first sight seem a strange assertion to some of our readers, 
many of whom, no doubt, are under the impression that most of 
the guns in the possession of their friends, as well as those they 
have themselves, styled ^^ stub-twist," are really and truly as 
genuine specimens as could be produced in any part of the world. 
Stop a moment, however, my incredulous friends, till you have 
learned from Greener of what a stub-and-twist barrel is com- 
pounded, and how it is wrought into a gun, and then tell me if 
you can expect to purchase one of these '•'■rare gems" on this side 
of the water, or even on the other side, for the paltry sum of 
twenty-five or thirty dollars, lock and stock included. 

" Old horse-nail stubs have, for a great number of years, been 
considered the best kind of scraps for the purpose of making the 
most superior gun-barrels. Numerous attempts have been made 
to find a composition of scraps to equal it, but so far without 
success. At what time the practice of using old stubs was adopted, 
we have no certain data. From the appearance of the oldest bar- 
rels, I should venture to say that it was coeval with their invention. 
It requires, however, no gift of prophecy to say that their use will 
not long continue, from the difficulty of obtaining them good, 
being only now to be procured from the Continent, and that with 
increasing difficulty. 

"Before proceeding to manufacture them into iron, women are 
employed to sort and examine each stub, to see that no malleable 
cast-iron nails or other impurities are mixed with them. They are 



STUB-TWIST BARRELS. 451 

rthen taken and put into a drum, resembling a barrel-churn, througb 
.tbe centre of which passes a shaft that is attached to the steam- 
engine, which works the rolling-mill, bellows, &c. When the 
imachine is put in motion, the stubs are rolled and tumbled over 
each other to such a degree that the friction completely cleanses 
them of all rust, and they come forth with the brightness of 
silver. The steel with which they are mixed, (generally coach- 
•springs,) after being separated and softened, is clipped into small 
(pieces, corresponding in size to the stubs, by a pair of large shears 
(Working by steam. These pieces are then, like the stubs, also put 
into a drum, in order to be divested of any rust they may retain, 
and are subsequently weighed out in the proportion of twenty-five 
pounds of stubs to fifteen of steel. 

"After being properly mixed together, they are put into an air- 
furnace and heated to a state of fusion, in which state they are 
istirred up by a bar of the same mixture of iron and steel, until, 
•by their adhesion, they form a ball of apparently melting metal. 
During this process, the bar has become sufiiciently heated to 
attach itself to the burning mass, technically called a bloom of 
iron, and by its aid the whole is removed from the furnace to the 
forge-hammer, by which it is reduced to a bar of iron of far less 
isveight than the original mass, the weight lost being wasted in the 
(process of welding and hammering. From the forge it passes to the 
Tolling-mill, where it is reduced to the size wanted. By this mode 
]Df manufactufing, the iron and steel are so intimately united and 
(blended that the peculiar properties of each are imparted to every 
-portion of the mass, and the whole receives the degree of hardness 
ind softness required. The process is admirable ; and the mixture 
lis calculated to produce a metal the best fitted, under the circum- 
stances, to answer the purpose of manufacturing gun-barrels of the 
ibest description." 

Spanish barrels, manufactured of the stubs of the nails used in 
{putting on the shoes of the mules and horses, formerly had a great 
jind deserved reputation among English sportsmen, — in fact, com- 
jnanding prices far beyond any guns produced in England. So 



452 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

great was the demand for these far-famed barrels, and so eager 
was every one to possess them, that it was not uncommon — so Blain 
informs us — for purchasers to be found at twenty, thirty, and eve 
forty pounds for a single barrel. 

The labor bestowed upon the manufacture of these barrels w. 
exceeded alone by that of the operatives on Damascus arms ; and t 
such an extent was the hammering of the lusty smith carried, tha 
it was not unusual for a mass of stubs, weighing from forty to fift} 
pounds, to be reduced by repeated beatings to a rod sufficient onl) 
to make a single barrel. By this long and arduous process the 
utmost ductility, tenacity, and purity were acquired, which ren- 
dered these guns superior for safety and shooting-powers to all 
other manufactures. Spanish barrels are no longer sought after 
with the same eagerness as in former times, owing to many circum- 
stances that have operated to prejudice the public against them, as 
well as the present superior character of the stub-twist manufac- 
tured by English artists, and which, we opine, cannot be ex- 
celled by any barrels coming either from Spain or the East. 

Great deception was practised in the getting up and sale of 
Spanish barrels as soon as it was known that there was such a 
demand for them in England, — a demand, in truth, which could not' 
be supplied in the ordinary course of trade, as there was not suffi-. 
cient genuine stub-metal in all Spain to make these barrels fast! 
enough for their foreign, much less their home, consumption. In-' 
ferior barrels consequently were imported from Spain, having the 
names of the most celebrated makers of Madrid engraved on them. 
Nor was this the only deception practised upon the public, fori 
Spanish barrels were actually counterfeited in the manufactories 
of Germany, and the country consequently soon became flooded 
with the most worthless and spurious trash imaginable, all purport- 1 
ing to be of real Spanish origin. 

There is considerable difference between a stub-twist and a 
wire-twist, or a stub-twist and a plain-twist. All twists are not 
stub-twists ; neither is it necessary for all stub-barrels to be twiste*" 
barrels. Although there is a wide difference between all these 



WIRE-TWIST IRON. 



453 



-.erms, it is very usual for our dealers in guns, as well as sports- 
'nen, to make little or no distinction in their application. Wc 
^'y not, however, wish to find fault with our hardwaremen for 
le exhibition of such ignorance, when real, as they have but few, 
Pany, sources from which they can obtain such information as 
"ould set them right on these subjects. There are, nevertheless, 
'ome importers as well as traders in guns among us who do know 
'.letter than to impose upon their ignorant customers in the shame- 
ful manner in which they do, as they are well aware of the differ- 
"mce in cost, workmanship,, and quality, between a genuine stub- 
Hwist and a wire-twist, and they should not boldly assert the one 
l;o be as good as the other, when they know what they say is false 
'n every particular. Such conduct is very culpable, and more so 
"vhen they are fully aware that the weapons they are selling are 
imperfect and often really dangerous to use. 




WIRE-TWIST IRON. 

This is the next quality of iron used in the manufacture of gun- 
)arrels, and the mode of making the bar of wire-twist is thus de- 
scribed by Greener : — " Alternate bars of iron and steel are placed 
'm each other in numbers of six each : they are then forged into 
me body or bar ; after which, if for the making of wire-twist bar- 
^•els, they are rolled down into rods of three-eigkths of an inch in 
)readth and varying in thickness according to the size of the bar- 
rel for which they are wanted ; if for Damascus, invariably three- 
Sjighths of an inch square. When about to be twisted into spirals 



454 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

for barrels, care must be taken that the edges of the steel and iron 
shall be outermost, so that, when the barrel is finished and browned, 
it shall have the appearance of being welded of pieces the size of 
wires the whole length of the barrel." A little further on, our 
author remarks : — " The objection made to the wire-twist is that, 
owing to the iron and steel being perfectly separate bodies, run-| 
ninof through the whole thickness of the barrel, there is a dijQ&culty 
in welding them perfectly, and of course there is a danger of its 
breaking across at any trifling imperfection. This objection isi 
certainly well grounded, as many barrels break in the proving. li 
have myself seen a very strong barrel indeed broken across the\ 
knee without the slightest difficult^/, while to all appearances it was 
perfectly sound. This is the reason why the manufacturers have; 
ceased to make them, except for the American trade." 

It is well known that every description of gun-barrel made in' 
England that is deemed of a very inferior quality — in fact, toe 
dangerous to be manufactu-red into a gun at home — is shipped to 
our country for sale. The knowledge of this circumstance should 
make all sportsmen rather chary in the purchase of guns from the 
hands of those who, from ignorance or want of 2y')'inciple, are ready 
to palm upon them any kind of a weapon, no matter how inferior 1 
or how dangerous. 

DAMASCUS BARRELS I 

" Are pretty to look at, but they possess no advantage over the* 
wire-twist barrels ; if any thing, they are inferior in strength and I 
tenacity. The twisting which the barrels go through before they 
are welded together, for the purpose of forming into a barrel, in-'i 
stead of adding strength to the body of the metal, rather loosens 
the texture, by tearing asunder the parallel fibres, the close adhe- 
sion of which constitutes the power and strength of the metal." 

These barrels »re made as follows: — "When about to be con- 
verted into Damascus, the rod is heated the whole length, and the^ 
two square ends put into the heads (one of which is a fixture) of a ] 
description of lathe, which is worked by a handle similar to a^l 



! CHARCOAL IRON. 455 

j'"wincli. It is then twisted like a rope, or, as Colonel Hawker says, 
iwrung as wet clothes are, until it has from twelve to fourteen com- 
•plete turns in the inch. By this severe twisting, the rod of six 
.feet is shortened to three, doubled in thickness, and made perfectly 
round. Three of these rods are then placed together, with the 
.inclinations of the twists running in opposite directions. They 
5 are then welded into one, and rolled down to a rod eleven-six- 
iteeuths of an inch in breadth." 

CHARCOAL IRON. 

This species of iron, we believe, is the kind of metal from which 
most of the guns imported into our country by hardwaremen are 
manufactured. When Ave say most of the guns, we mean most of 
the best guns, as there are thousands of guns made of still more 
i inferior metal than charcoal iron, expressly for the American 
I trade. These barrels are generally palmed off upon the ignorant 
as the real stuh-tivist ; they are, however, far inferior to the 
genuine article. The metal is composed entirely of old iron 
without any admixture of steel, and therefore is greatly deficient 
in the strength or elasticity of either the stub or wire-twist. 

OTHER KINDS OF METALS. 

There are several other varieties of metals or compounds from 
which gun-barrels are manufactured for foreign trade ; they are 
generally far inferior even to charcoal iron, and are wanting not 
only in strength, but also in the tenacity and ductility so neces- 
sary for the making of an instrument which is intended to hold 
within bounds so dangerous and powerful a composition as gun- 
powder. Great numbers of these worthless weapons find their 
way to this country, and hundreds of individuals are crippled with 
them every year. A full description of all these metals will be 
found in Greener, as also a general expose of all the deceptions 
carried on in the gun-trade. 



456 lewis's AMERICAN STORTSMAN. 

WOOD FOR STOCKIXa. 

TValnut is universally pvofovrod in America for stocking; it 13 
ahundant, strong, durable, and handsome, and therefore combines 
many, if not all, the qualities calculated to recommend it to the 
gunsmith. Irs natural beauty is very much improved by staining, 
and many useful points under this head may be learned from 
Ilawker. The following method, however, we meet with in 
(jreeners work ; and, as we have tested its merits, we feel no hesita- 
tion in recommending it to our readers: — "After having got them 
(the stocks) dressed and sandpapered as fine as you possibly can 
for walnut, take a composition of unboiled linseed-oil and alkanet- 
root, in the proportion of four ounces of the latter to half a pint 
of oil. These, after being amalgamated for a week, will be of a 
beautiful crimson color, and will not fail to make walnut a hand- 
some brown, on being laid on three or four times with a sponge." 

Bird's-eye maple is also used for stocking, and is preferred by 
some to walnut on account of the greater beauty of its grain ; we, 
however, and most other sportsmen, consider it far inferior to 
walnut. Greener remarks that maple possesses less '* conducting 
principle" than any other kind of wood, and therefore is well cal- 
culated to lessen the recoil, and on this account is best calculated 
for gun-stocks. Of this argument, however, we think very lightly, 
for the reason that no partridge-gun properly loaded should recoil 
with sufficient force to give a disagreeable shock, whether the stock 
be made of walnut, maple, or any other kind of suitable wood. 

The following method for staining maple, taken from the same 
source as the above, we have also used, — not on a gun-stock, how- 
ever, as we have no gvm stocked with this description of wood ; 
but we tried it on some articles of furniture, and found it to 
answer a most excellent purpose, — in fact, imparting a beautiful 
and elegant appearance to the wood: — 

" Mix an ounce and a half of nitrous acid with about the same 
quantity of iron turnings or filings. After the gas which is created 
by the mixture has evaporated, take a piece of rag and dip it in 



WOOD FOR STOCKING. 



40" 



the liquid loft, and -wet all parts of the stock you wish to stain. 
Let it stand until it is quite dry; then lay on a slight coat of the 
oil and alkanet-root. Take a quantity of joiners' shavings : set 
fire to them, and pass the stock through the flame until it becomes 
quite hlack or the oil is quite burnt off. Re-sandpaper it, and 
you will find it, if possessing any figure, of a beautiful mottle. 
Add a few more coats of oil ; it is then ready for varnishing, or 
any other way you may fancy to have it finished." 

Maple stained in this way looks very beautiful, but we do not 
consider it either so handsome or so suitable for stocking as 
walnut ; it is much more brittle and knotty, and is liable to break 
if roughly handled. 







rvv^ 




*^Sii^^ 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



THE ART OF COOKING GAME. 



" God sends meat:" — who sends cooks? 

Nequaquam satis in re una consumere curam : 
Ut si quis soliini hoc, mala ne sint vina, laboret, 
Quali perfundat pisces securus olivo." 

not imagine, brother sportsman, that we 
are going to dive into all the mysteries and 
complicated paraphernalia of a cookery- 
book, or, as a scientific gourmand, that we 
are about to extol alone the pleasures, the 
delights, and the joys, of a well-spread 
table. In extenuation, or rather in sup- 
port, of our trifling efforts to promote the 
happiness of our sporting friends when as- 
sembled around the convivial board with appetites made vigorous by 
the manly labors of the field, we beg to call their attention for a mo- 
ment to the sage remarks of the philosophic Rumford when speaking 

on this subject : — " The enjoyments which fall to the lot of the bulk 

458 




THE ART OF COOKING GAME. 459 

of mankind are not so numerous as to render an attempt to increase 
them superfluous. And even in regard to those who have it in 
their power to gratify their appetites to the utmost extent of their 
wishes, it is surely rendering them a very imj^ortant service to 
show them how they may increase their pleasures without destroy- 
ing their health." Dr. Mayo, in his "Philosophy of Living," also 
remarks that "man, unlike animals, is in best humor when he is 
feeding, and more disposed then than at other times to cultivate 
those amicable relations by which the bonds of society are 
strengthened." 

Who among our readers will not cheerfully acknowledge the 
force of such sentiments, emanating, as they do, from men of study, 
reflection, and practical observation? Who among them will not 
concede, in the fulness of his heart, that "a good dinner is one of 
the greatest enjoyments of human life"? Who ever knew of a 
philosopher refusing to participate in the festivities of a banquet ? 
And who ever encountered the still stranger sight of a disciple of 
Hippocrates living up to the dietetic precepts laid down for the 
guidance of his refractory patients? 

Look around you on every side, ye carping cynics and snarling 
bigots, and see how many men of the greatest talents and rarest 
virtues, whether of the present day or of ages past, have sought 
pleasure in the innocent enjoyments of the table, and thus convince 
yourselves that these indulgences are not "incompatible with in- 
tellectual pursuits or mental superiority." Doctor Johnson, with 
all his wonderful attainments, did not consider a good dinner or a 
recherche supper beneath his attention ; for we are informed by 
Boswell, his biographer, that " he never knew a man who relished 
good eating more than he did; and when at table he was wholly 
absorbed in the business of the moment." The doctor himself 
says, in his usual quaint and philosophic style, ^^jSome people have 
a foolish Avay of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what 
they eat: for my part, I mind my belly very studiously and very 
carefully ; and I look upon it that he who does not mind his belly 
will hardly mind any thing else." 



i60 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

IIow perfectly correct and natural do these remarks appear to 
us, when Ave reflect for a moment on the intimate sympathy and 
peculiarly direct communication existing between the head and the 
stomach ! If the least irregularity in the natural functions of the 
bowels takes place, with what rapidity is it followed by a propor- 
tional degree of malaise at the very centre of life, — the brain ! 

In fact, the healthy operation of the whole natural economy is 
dependent in a great measure upon the state of the stomach ; but 
the brain watches the actions of this organ with a most jealous 
eye, and in most persons is the very first to strike the alarm at the 
presence of gross or badly-cooked food; and it has been most 
justly remarked that "he who would have a clear head must have 
a clean stomach.'' 

If such be the fact, (and no one certainly will dispute it,) how 
necessary is it that we should not only regard the quality of our 
food, but that we should have an eye to the proper preparation of 
it by the cook before receiving it into so important an organ as 
the stomach ! We do not now address our remarks to those whose 
health is so robust, and whose habits and associations in life have 
been such as to force them to remain happy and contented with 
the coarsest fare, and whose stomachs consequently have attained 
the vigor of an ostrich or the ' capacity of an anaconda ; such in- 
dividuals, we know full well, would naturally accuse us of over- 
refinement and ridiculous nicety. Neither do we wish to encourage 
or uphold in their effeminate opinions those delicate and epicurean 
dandies who cannot enjoy a meal beyond the vile precincts of an 
eating-house or the luxurious saloons of a club-room, or whose 
pampered stomachs are never sated, save when tempted with all 
the niceties that the markets can produce, artistically concocted 
into savory stews, outlandish fricandeaux, greasy ragouts, high- 
sounding /reeass^^s, and dainty salmis. 

Such fellows as these latter, ^'quibus in solo vivendi causa pa- 
lato est,^' whose brains, (what little they may possess,) as well as 
their hearts, are located in their bellies, are objects rather of our 
commiseration, and wholly beneath the notice of any sensible man, 



V 

THE ART OF COOKING GAME. 461 

save that, like peacocks at the gi-and congregation of the feathered 
race, they serve the purpose occasionally of adorning a dinner- 
table, of amusing the good-natured host by their senseless fripon- 
nerie, or perhaps, by the staleness of their wit and the dulness of 
their speech, of setting off the more cultivated jeux-cC esprit of 
some favored bon compagnon. 

In fact, we have an utter abhorrence for a man in good health 
who cannot "rough and tumble it" in perfect good-humor for a 
few days when circumstances require it, Avhether it be to repose 
one's wearied limbs even upon a shaggy buffalo robe, under the 
wide canopy of a starless heaven, or to stretch them on the soft 
and downy feathers of a luxurious bed, surrounded by all the 
gaudy trappings of an ambitious upholsterer; whether it be to sit 
down to a mess of cold pork and brown bread, or to a round of 
juicy roast-beef: in fact, a sportsman should be ever ready in all 
cheerfulness to exclaim in the words of the ancient bard, '■'■Rure 
meo possum quodvis perferre patique." But, at the same time, 
we must acknowledge, on the other hand, that we equally despise 
an ignorant, low-minded fellow, who affects to prefer salt pork to 
savory venison, or a barnyard duck to a Chesapeake canvas-back, 
or rotgut whisky to sparkling heidseck. Such a savage as this is 
more fit for the negro quarter than the banquet-room of the polished 
and refined. 

The rational gratification of a natural appetite with such dainties 
as a kind Providence, in his infinite goodness, has given us in this 
world, cannot justly be called gluttony ; nor can a proper attention 
or nice discrimination in serving them up be termed seyisuality ; 
as both the one and the other are the actual gifts of the Almighty, 
— the different varieties of viands on the one hand to tempt our 
palates, and the exquisite sense of taste on the other to enable us 
to appreciate them when laid before us. We have observed 
that those among our acquaintances who most frequently speak 
discouragingly of the pleasures of the table, and most vociferously 
disclaim all pretensions to what they significantly term good eat- 
ing, — which, in truth, means nothing more nor less than having 



462 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

good food cooked in a wholesome and sensible manner, — these same 
individuals, we saj, when seated at the festive board, are the very 
foremost to find fault if the dishes are not served up in becoming 
style, or rather in accordance with their own peculiar and some- 
times outlandish notions. 

What gluttony, forsooth, or sensuality either, is there in prefer- 
ring a plain roasted potato to a boiled one ? And pray, what glut^ 
tony or sensuality is there in preferring rich venison-soup to thin 
mutton-broth, or a larded partridge to a young squab, or mellow 
wine to tart cider? 

Such differences as these are mere matters of habit or education ; 
and a cannibal may with equal propriety be termed a sensualist 
when greedily devouring the tender flesh of a young infant, as 
a refined epicure when warmly extolling the gamy flavor of the 
leg of a grouse. 

We do not profess to be a good cook, either practically, scienti- 
fically, or theoretically, nor do we aspire to so enviable a distinc- 
tion, although the magnus coquus of princely establishments has 
always been an officer of considerable dignity ; indeed, so highly was 
the profession esteemed among the luxurious ancients that a good 
cook, we are informed, was termed hominum servatorem, — the pre- 
server of mankind.* 

Notwithstanding all this high appreciation of culinary talents, 
we, like many others, would greatly prefer leaving the branch, 
with all its honors and practical operations, in the hands of those 
who have made the scientia popince their particular study and 
pursuit ; though we cannot refrain from venturing a few remarks 
in reference to the art, so far as it concerns the comfort of the 
sportsman. We do not, however, consider the subject of cookery 
(as some foolish persons would affect) beneath our notice, but, on 
the other hand, regret exceedingly that our unavoidable ignorance 
on this score will confine our observations within a very limited 
sphere. 

* See " The Cook's Oracle." 



THE AKT OF COOKING GAME. 463 

Nothing is more annoying — at least to us, and no doubt gene- 
rally to our friends — than to toil after game all day, even if this 
toil be our pleasure, and then have it totally ruined by the care- 
lessness or ignorance of the cook; and, what is worse than all, 
perhaps disappoint a score of anxious guests, whom, in the good- 
ness of our heart, we have asked to be partakers of our feast. 

We are not a cook, brother sportsman, nor are we a glutton ; 
but we may, perhaps, be a gourmand, or, in other words, an epicure, 
in all that relates to the cooking and serving up of game. There 
is, however, a wide distinction between these two characters. The 
epicure, by the acuteness of his palate in the exercise of that sense 
bestowed upon him by his Creator, is able to distinguish the good 
from the bad. The other regards not the delicacy or the quality 
of the food set before him, but rejoices alone at the quantity which 
he may be permitted to stow away in his capacious, ever-craving 
maw. 

If a greedy, gormandizing fellow, unaccustomed to good living 
and moderate drinking, chooses to overload his stomach at a din- 
ner-table, surely such beastly conduct is no argument against the 
rational enjoyment of eating in moderation, or against the seduc- 
tions consequent upon good cookery and highly-seasoned food ; for 
it is a well-known fact, as stated by Accum, that " savages, whose 
cookery is in the rudest state, are more apt to overeat themselves 
than the veriest belly-god of a luxurious and refined people, — a 
fact which of itself is sufficient to prove that it is not cookery 
which is the cause of gluttony and surfeiting. The savage, in- 
deed, suffers far less from his swinish excesses than the sedentary 
and refined gourmand ; for, after sleeping sometimes for a whole 
day, having gorged himself with food, hunger again drives him 
forth to the chase, in which he soon gets rid of the ill effects of 
his overloaded stomach. Surely, cookery is not to blame for the 
effects of gluttony, indolence, and sedentary occupations ; yet it 
does appear that all its effects are erroneously charged to the 
account of the refined art of cookery." 

Although we may be willing to acknowledge ourselves in some 



464 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

respects a gourmet, still, we do not think that our love of the 
good things of this world could ever induce us, like Apicius, to 
offer our guests a ragout composed exclusively of the tongues of 
"peacocks and nightingales," or even of "partridges and reed- 
birds ;" nor would we desire, like Vitellius, to serve up for our 
brother, no matter how much beloved, a feast composed of two 
thousand dishes of fish and seven thousand of poultry. Neither 
is our taste so cultivated or refined as to hanker after the delicate 
flesh of young asses or the womb of a pregnant sow,* as served 
up on the festive boards of the luxurious Romans, or to relish the 
leg of a young puppy, as greedily devoured by the curious inhabit- 
ants of the Celestial Empire ; nor is our palate so distorted that 
we could ever fancy, as some of our friends affect to do, the trail 
of a roasted woodcock or the contents of a snipe's stomach. 

Nevertheless, if put upon short allowance, we might be glad to 
partake of any of the above dishes, as well as rattlesnake- 
soup, whale-blubber, and train-oil, without at the same time merit- 
ing the ignoble stigma of a glutton, since ^^ necessitas non habet 
legem." 

What, my delicate reader, would you think of a man that ate, 

at one meal, 

4 pounds of raw cow's udder, 
10 " " raw beef, 
2 " " tallow candles, 

Total, 16, 

and washing the whole down with five bottles of porter ? You 
would naturally, and very justly, remark, "What a hog! what a 
cormorant !" Strange as it may appear, however, such was the 
meal of Charles Domery, when a prisoner of war at Liverpool ; 
and, although allowed the daily rations of ten men, he was not 
satisfied. 



* " Non Hercule miror, 
Aiebat, si qui comedunt bona, quum sit obese 
Nil melius turdo, vulva nil pulchrius amplcL." 



THE ART OF COOKING GAME. 465 

It was not necessary that the science of culinary chemistry 
should be brought into action to provoke an artificial appetite in 
this individual: he was a glutton de facto. Nature made hira 
such; and nothing but the strongest food could satisfy his inor- 
dinate cravings. 

In fine, with the sentiments of Kitchener, and in the words of 
Accum, "the pleasures of the table have always been highly ap- 
preciated and sedulously cultivated among civilized people of every 
age and nation ; and, in spite of the stoic, it must be admitted that 
they are the first which we enjoy, the last we abandon, and those 
of which we most frequently partake." 

" Cookery is the soul of festivity, at all times and in all ages. 
How many marriages have been the consequence of meeting at 
dinner ! How much good fortune has been the result of a good 
supper ! At what moment of our existence are we happier than 
at table? There hatred and animosity are lulled to sleep, and 
pleasure alone reigns." These are the words, and such are the 
sentiments, of the illustrious Louis Eustache Ude, than whom no 
more accomplished maitre de cuisine has ever lived. 




80 



466 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



TO SELECT GAME. 

The sportsman will often find it to his advantage to know how 
to select game, as well as to shoot it or cook it. We will, there- 
fore, before entering more fully into the culinary department, give 
him a few hints upon this subject, which he may turn to good 
account as soon as a favorable opportunity presents itself. 

There are three important points to be observed in the choice of 
game: — namely, the weight or size of the bird, the age, and the 
time of its being killed. 

Those birds which are plump and heavy are, of course, prefer- 
able to those that are slim and light. A little practice will soon 
teach the sportsman to ascertain the comparative weight of birds by 
poising or rather weighing them on the first joint of his index finger. 

Young birds are far better than old ones ; their skin is much 
softer, and tears easily, their bills pliable, their legs and feet 
smooth and of a light color ; their plumage is also lighter. The 
hen bird is generally preferable to the cock bird, being more juicy 
and tender. 

When recently killed, the eyes are full and natural; the inside 
of the mouth, tongue, and throat, looks fresh, the skin white, and 
the whole body smells sweet. 

If, on the contrary, the birds be old, they will be more tough 
and far less palatable, their bills hard, horny, and worn ofi", their 
legs rough and scaly, their feet ragged, and their nails short and 
blunt. If killed some days, the eyes will be sunk, their fulness 
gone, the inside of the bill, the tongue, and the throat, slimy and 
fetid, the vent soft and of a dark-bluish color, the legs and feet 
dry and husky to the touch. 

So far as our experience teaches us, no kind of game-bird im- 
proves by keeping over two or three days, although in cold weather 
they may not be injured by it. Old and tough grouse (pheasants) 
may certainly become more tender by age, and perhaps may eat 
more palatably when in a state of half decomposition than when 
perfectly fresh ; but this argues nothing, as the flesh was not good 



RULES FOR SELECTING GAME. 46'J 

in the first place, and any change in its structure might, therefore, 
be for the better. 

We do not, however, say that game should be eaten as soon 
after being killed as possible, for that would be wrong, except in 
the case of some water-fowl; however, we are satisfied that snipe, 
woodcock, plover, rail, and reed-birds, can be eaten with as much 
relish on the day that they are shot as at any subsequent period, 
and perhaps are never so good on the third day as they are on the 
first; at least, such is our notion on the subject, and perhaps we 
will be sustained in this opinion by some of our friends. We 
have no fancy for putting into our stomach half-decomposed sub- 
stances of any kind; much less have we so distorted, so depraved 
a taste as to desire to partake of tainted, pai*-rotten game, or to 
chew up the half-digested leeches, worms, and bugs often to be 
found in their stomachs. Away with such mock refinement, such 
silly afiectation! 

In cold weather partridges will keep better than any other kind 
of game, provided they are hung separately and shielded from the 
rain and sun ; those that are to be kept for any time should be as 
free from shot-wounds as possible. It is not necessary to draw 
them or pick them ; if picked, there will be much more evaporation 
from the bodies of the birds, and they will consequently be far 
drier. A pinch of charcoal put into their mouths will assist much 
in keeping them sweet. 

If frozen hard, game will keep for an indefinite period, but should 
be eaten as soon as convenient after being thawed ; the best plan 
to thaw it for cooking is to hang it for a short time in the kitchen. 
No kind of meat should be put to cook before it is thoroughly 
thawed; otherwise, it will take double the time to cook, and at best 
will be tough, stringy, and tasteless. 

The preservative effect of frost on dead animal matter is very 
remarkable, and is taken advantage of by the inhabitants of the 
far-northern countries on a very extensive scale, as may be learned 
from the following extract from Accum's Culinary Chemistry : — 
"There is annually held at St. Petersburg and Moscow what is 



468 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

called the frozen or winter market, for the sale of provisions 
solidified by frost. In a vast open square the bodies of many 
thousand animals are seen on all sides, piled in pyramidal and 
quadrangular masses: fish, fowl, butter, eggs, hogs, sheep, deer, 
oxen, all rendered solid by frost. The different species of fish are 
strikingly beautiful; they possess the lustre and brilliancy of color 
which characterize the different species in a living state. Most of 
the larger kinds of quadrupeds are skinned and classed according 
to their species; groups of many hundreds are piled upon their 
hind-legs, one against another, as if each were making an effort to 
climb over the back of his neighbor. The motionless yet apparent 
animation of their seemingly-t^truggling attitudes (as if they had 
died a sudden death) gives a horrid semblance of life to this sin- 
gular scene of death. The solidity of the frozen creatures is such 
that the natives chop and saw them up, for the accommodation of the 
purchasers, like wood." 

COOKING GAME. 

The more plainly and simply game-birds of all kinds are cooked, 
the better, save those of a sedgy or fishy nature. For these we shall 
give especial directions for disguising their disagreeable flavor. 

No great art of culinary chemistry, in our humble opinion, can 
improve a plain roasted partridge, woodcock, or grouse. Never- 
theless, to please the fancy or tickle the gustatory nerves of some 
of our dainty guests, it may be necessary to resort to some other 
more recherche method of serving them up. 

To enumerate all the various modes of presenting game on the 
table, as practised by those versed in cooking, either for the ambi- 
tious purpose of exhibiting their skill in this branch or of whetting 
the appetite of some sickly epicure ever in search of novelty, 
would be at variance with the design of this chapter. We wish 
rather to confine ourselves alone to those simpler methods within 
the scope of every " family cook," discarding all useless and com- 
plicated dishes — such, in fact, as are within the comprehension 
alone of a mattre de cuisine, and which, by-the-by, need be 
"Served up but once in a lifetime. 



TO ROAST GAME. 469 

TO ROAST GAME. 

To roast a partridge, grouse, or any other bird of the galli- 
naceous order, is as simple a process of cookery as can be attempted. 
The great error, however, which cooks most frequently commit in 
the operation, is that they place the birds too near the fire when 
first put down, and consequently cook them too fast, as well as too 
much in some respects. The surface becomes scorched and burnt 
before the flesh of the bird is actually warmed through ; the juices 
are dissipated, the flavor lost, and the natural tenderness of the 
meat entirely destroyed. To remedy this evil, it will be necessary 
to caution the cook to place the spit at first at a considerable 
distance from the fire, so that the body of the bird will become 
thoroughly heated before the browning of the surface takes place ; 
then to move it by degrees nearer the fire, so that the heat can 
penetrate thoroughly through the entire mass. 

During this process it will be necessary to baste the birds 
occasionally with their own drippings or a small particle of melted 
butter, with which may be put a trifling portion of salt and black 
pepper. The drippings should be caught on pieces of thin and 
crisp toast laid in the bottom of the pan : the crust of the bread 
should be pared off", and one small slice will answer for each bird. 

When the birds are nearly cooked, they may be lightly dredged 
with flour, powdered cracker, or bread-crumbs, which, uniting with 
the juices exuding from every pore, form a beautiful brown crust. 
This process, before a brisk fire, should occupy about twenty 
minutes for a partridge, fifteen minutes for a snipe, woodcock, or 
plover, and twenty-five to thirty for a grouse; — a little longer, per- 
haps, for the last-mentioned bird, as it should be well done. 

Serve them up each on a slice of toast, on hot dishes and well 
covered. 

This is the best and most simple method of cooking the greater 
variety of game-birds, and certainly within the ability of any 
"plain cook," no matter how stupid she may be, or how lately 
larrived from the "Emerald Isle." 



470 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

LARDED GAME. 

Game-birds of all kinds, wlien skilfully trussed, larded hand 
somely, and roasted brown, present a very beautiful appearance 
on the table ; but we do not relish them so well as when served up 
perfectly au naturel. However, as before said, it is sometimes not 
only expedient but agreeable to us to consult the palates of our 
friends as well as to titillate their fancies by the variety of our 
set-out. 

The process of larding is a very simple matter,* and may be 
learned from any cookery-book. The practice of it, however, upon 
small game in particular, requires some judgment and a great deal 
of nicety. 

Before larding the birds, they may or may not be stuffed with 
a small portion of grated pork, bread-crumbs, and butter: the^ 
drippings ought to be received, as before, upon slices of thin toast. 
Roasted in this way, birds are certainly more juicy than when 
cooked perfectly plain, but are not, perhaps, so delicate to the 
palate of a true epicurean sportsman, as they have lost a portion 
of their natural gamy flavor, owing to the circumstance that the 
flesh and juices have become impregnated Avith the fat used in the 
larding, as well as that in the stuffing. 

Larded grouse are better than larded partridges, larded par- 
tridges better than larded snipe, and larded snipe better than 
larded woodcock. 

* Larding-needles may be had at the furnishing or hardware stores. 




BROILED GAME. 471 

BROILED GAME. 

Partridges, when split in the back and broiled over bright wood- 
coals, with a dressing of butter, salt, and a trifle of pepper, are 
very good ; and this, perhaps, is the most convenient and safe way 
of having them cooked when from home. The cook should be 
careful not to burn or cook them too fast ; the coals should not be 
too hot, or rather the gridiron should not be allowed to rest too 
near them, otherwise the surface of the body will be scorched black 
before the interior of the flesh is warmed through. If the legs of 
the gridiron are not long enough to protect the bird from the too 
direct efi'ects of the hot coals, it is very easy to remedy the evil 
by putting pieces of brick under each leg. 

TO SPLIT AND BROIL PARTRIDGES BEFORE A COAL-FIRE. 

We recommend the use of the common beefsteak-roaster, which 
sits erect before the grate : we have partridges cooked in this way 
very often, and find them most excellent. 

In all cases, game should be served up on hot dishes. 

BOILED GAME. 

Some epicures are very fond of larded and boiled partridges, as 
well as grouse. We are not very partial to either, although we 
can partake of both by way of variety, particularly if they be served 
up with celery-sauce, made without the admixture, however, of any 
kind of spice. 

Birds should be boiled in a covered pot lined with china or tin, 
with just sufiBcient water to cover them nicely. They should be 
removed from the hot fire as soon as they begin to boil briskly, 
and allowed to simmer at the side till nearly done, and then per- 
mitted to boil up briskly again for a few moments before removing 
entirely. The lid should be raised now and then, and the scum, 
as it comes to the surface, skimmed ofl": this precaution is very 
necessary, as it adds much to the whiteness and consequent beauty 
of the birds when served up. A few grains of rice thrown into 



472 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the pot will also assist in preserving the flesh white. The more 
slowlj birds are boiled, the better; in fact, the whole process 
should be confined within a simmer : the more gradual the simmer, 
the more tender will be the flesh. It requires a longer time to 
cook game in this waj than to roast or broil it. 

OTHER WAYS OF COOKING GROUSE OR PHEASANTS. 

Some persons have a fancy for cooking grouse, or rather basting 
them, with a rich gravy made of butter, spice, and Port wine. We 
have eaten them stewed in this kind of dressing, as well as stuffed 
with a variety of herbs or forced-meat balls. 

These made dishes are all very nice in themselves, and calculated 
to please the fancy of many ; but a pheasant stewed in Port wine 
and spices is no longer a pheasant, and therefore does not suit our 
palate ; for, when we eat game, we like both to know it and taste it. 

Pheasants are very passable when split in the back and broiled, 
as recommended for partridges. There are other modes for cook- 
ing grouse, which, however, are not worth referring to. 




TO COOK A SNIPE, WOODCOCK, PLOVER, ETC. 

As before said, the more lolainly game-hirds are cooked, the 
better. This observation applies particularly to the two former 
birds, as they each possess a rich gamy flavor which should be pre- 
served unadulterated by any of the complicated arts of cookery. 

A snipe may be larded and roasted; but a woodcock jamais — 
jamais ! We regard a larded woodcock entirely outre, — a positive 
abomination. Yet there are some excellent cooks who will persist 



TO COOK A SNIPE, WOODCOCK, PLOVER, ETC. 473 

in serving them in this way, as well as some would-he epicures who 
affect to relish them. 

As for the disgusting and filthy habit of cooking these birds 
without taking out the gullet, gizzard, and stomach, we cannot 
speak in sufficiently harsh terms of it : Ave consider such a practice 
calculated rather to disgust even the depraved appetite of a can- 
nibal than gratify the sensitive palate of a well-fed epicure. Those 
who are fond of half-cooked leeches, partly-digested ground-worms, 
tough viscera, and ugly insects of all kinds, can have them brought 
on the table in this way. For our part, we have no great i^encliant 
for such disgusting delicacies. 

Audubon, in speaking upon this subject, very justly remarks, 
"Many epicures eat both snipe and woodcock with all their viscera, 
worms and insects to boot, — the intestines, in fact, being considered 
the most savory parts. On opening some newly-killed snipes, I 
have more than once found large and well-fed ground-worms, and 
at times a leech, which, I must acknowledge, I never conceived 
suitable articles of food for man; and for this reason I have 
always taken good care to have both snipes and woodcocks well 
cleaned, as all game ought to be." 

Snipes are sometimes stuffed with herbs and baked. We con- 
sider such a dish on a par with partridge-pie. 

Snipes, as well as partridges, are often roasted with a slice or 
two of fat pork wrapped around them, and then enclosed in sheets 
of writing-paper well greased with butter or fresh lard. The result 
of this process differs but little from that of larding. 

Both snipe and Avoodcock require less time to cook than par- 
tridges, — in fact, should be rather underdone than overdone. From 
ten to fifteen minutes before a brisk fire is quite sufficient. When 
cut into, the blood should be seen on the edge of the knife, other- 
wise the juices of the bird have been dissipated by over-cooking. 
This should never be the case either with a partridge or grouse. 
The appearance of blood when carving these two latter birds is a 
sure indication that they have been taken from the fire too soon, 
and that the meat will consequently taste tough and raw. 



474 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

TO COOK RAIL AND REED-BIRDS. 

Both tliese birds are best plainly roasted and basted with a trifle 
of butter, and served up on toast. Some of our friends speak in 
raptures of broiled rail. We cannot say that we admire them 
particularly when cooked in this way. Rail are a very juicy, 
tender bird, and require no larding; when roasted on the spit, 
enveloped in greased paper, they are very good. They should 
never be stuffed ; they require about fifteen minutes to cook before 
a brisk fire. They are better eaten fresh, and never improve by 
keeping ; in fact, they are generally shot during the warm weather, 
and when nothing short of an ice-house will preserve them longer 
than a few hours. They spoil very soon, particularly after being 
wet and pitched about in the bottom of the boat. 

Reed-birds are best when roasted au naturel on the spit before 
a brisk fire. If enveloped in buttered paper, they cook more 
nicely, and there is less waste of the fat. Ten minutes is sufficient 
before a bright fire. 

We have eaten reed-birds stuffed with crumbs of bread, butter, 
and a slight shade of herbs, and roasted in greased paper, which 
are very palatable for a change. They are also good when nicely 
broiled ; some persons prefer them in this way to all others. 

As to stuffing them with chopped oysters, or making them into 
dumplings with a thin crust of dough, and boiling them, we have 
nothing to say ; and when any of our friends venture a word of 
commendation in favor of such abominable dishes, audio sed taceo. 

COOKING OTHER KINDS OF GAME. 

There are a great variety of other kinds of game-birds, known 
a,s fen, shore, or beach birds, which require very nice management 
to make them agreeable to an epicurean palate. 

When these birds are known to be sedgy, they should be cleaned 
and rubbed with salt and corn-meal, and put to soak over night in 
cool water slightly acidulated with strong vinegar. They should 
then be stuffed with such herbs and spices as are best calculated to 



COOKING OTHER KINDS OF GAME. 



475 



destroy, or rather disguise, their original flavor. If roasted and 
basted, or rather stewed, with a rich dressing of butter, spice, and 
Port or Madeira wine, their flavor is much improved ; wUen served 
up, they may have a few drops of lemon-juice squeezed over them, 
to make the sauce more piquante. An old sea-gull, mud-hen, or 
any other tough fen-bird, may be made quite tolerable by such a 
process of cookery. 

If, however, you should at any time be placed in a strait for 
something to eat, we would advise Hawker's receipt for a " good 
mess," which may be made out of any thing in the way of a fowl, 
whether a tough old dunghill-cock, a cackling hen, a screaming 
gull, or a fishy dipper, as follows : — 

" Have a fowl skinned and quartered ; 
Put it over the fire in a quart of cold water ; 
Boil it full tivo liours. 

Then add two ounces (or a handful) of pearl barley, (rice will answer ;) 
Three blades of mace ; about two dozen peppercorns , and 
Salt to your taste : 
Then let all boil together for one more hour." 

An onion, or any other kind of vegetable or strong herb, may be 
added ad libitum. 




'l«:^^lf^F^-W^, 





COOKINa WILD DUCKS. 

HE only adoiissible way for cooking wild 
fowl of every description is roasting on 
the spit, with the exception, perhaps, of 
teal, Avhich may be broiled on the grid- 
iron. 

Those ducks that are fishy alone re- 
quire any kind of stuffing; and, when 
stuffing is necessary to render them 
palatable, we consider a puddle- duck quite their equal, if not 
superior. 

Ducks ought to be roasted on the spit, and never baked in an 
oven, as is too frequently done by careless and ignorant cooks. 
Baking renders them dry, rank, and tasteless, while roasting 
makes them juicy and tender. 

Cooks are not generally partial to the cooking of game, as it is 
oftentimes attended with a good deal of extra labor, (picking and 
cleaning the birds, &c.,) and, if not closely watched, will deceive 

their employers as to the mode of cooking it. They find it at 
476 



COOKING WILD DUCKS. 477 

times mucli more convenient to put a couple of ducks in an oven 
to bake tlian on the spit, owing to the low state of the fire or to the 
circumstance that the spit is used for some other purpose far less 
necessary. When this is done, the fowls are sure to be spoiled. 

Ducks require but a short time to roast, and, when cut into, 
from every pore should exude a rich and high-colored blood ; this 
will not be the case if the fowl be cooked too much, or baked in 
an oven. There should ahvays be sufficient of its ovm drippings 
to baste it with ; if not, however, a little butter and a little Port 
or Madeira will not in such cases harm them. 

It will require about twenty-five or thirty-five minutes properly 
to roast a canvas-back. It should be served up with fresh crisp 
celery, potatoes mashed and baked, or plainly roasted. 

Some persons like currant-jelly with these ducks. We do not ; 
nor do we relish them so well when half-roasted and finished on 
the chafing-dish with jelly, &c. We much prefer them perfectly 
au naturel. Canvas-backs should neither be picked nor drawn 
till a short time before they are to be cooked, nor should they be 
soaked in water; in fact, they should not even so much as be 
washed out after being cleaned. Other kinds of wild duck, less 
delicate, may be picked and soaked in water two or three hours 
before cooking, Avithout injury, — rather with benefit. 

A small onion, or a few small slices of pared lemon, put in the 
inside of a strong fowl of any kind, will in a measure correct its 
disajTreeable flavor and render the flesh more mild to the taste. 

The following receipt, taken from Hawker, will be found an 
excellent sauce for all kinds of duck that require an artificial or 
made dressing : — 

Port wine or claret 1 glass; 

Sauce h. la Russe* (the older the better) 1 tablespoonful; 

Catsup (walnut or mushroom) 1 " 

Lemon-juice 1 *' 

Lemon-peel 1 slice; 

* See Francatelli's French Cookery, Receipt No. 35. If these herbs are not at 
hand, substitute others. 



478 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Shallot (large) 1 cut in slices; 

Cayenne pepper 4 grains ; 

Mace 1 or 2 blades. 

To be scalded, strained, or added to the mere gravy which 
comes from the bird in roasting. 

FURTHER REMARKS ON THE SUBJECT OF COOKERY. 

Small game are generally cooked without cutting off the head 
or feet. Some persons are very partial to the brains. Indepen- 
dently of this, the birds look far better with their heads on, and they 
should never be removed by the cook. 

Birds are far more tender if eaten immediately after being 
killed than if kept over night and then eaten ; if kept, however, 
until the following or third day, they will most generally be as 
good again. 

Ducks, if to be eaten soon after being killed, may be improved 
by burying them in the ground for a few hours. 

As a general rule, thinly-sliced fried potatoes is the best accom- 
paniment to game. They should be done brown and crisp ; pota- 
toes done d: la maitre d'hdtel will answer in place of celery-sauce 
for boiled game. 

CELERY-SAUCE. 

As we have recommended the use of celery-sauce with boiled 
game, it may not be amiss for us, before going further, to give 
directions for the preparation of it. 

This sauce is the most palatable of sauces, and the only one we 
consider admissible as a dressing for boiled game; some even go 
so far as to recommend it for roasted birds; but we must confes? 
that we have no fancy or relish for it in this way. 

Like all other nice sauces, celery-sauce requires some tact to 
make it. The celery should be selected with care, washed nicely, 
but not allowed to remain in water any time, for soaking it in this 
way, as is too often done, renders it tough, and destroys all that 
brittleness which makes the plant so relishable ; it should then be 



CELERY-SAUCE. 479 

pared, — not scraped or bruised, after the fashion of some ignorant 
cooks; then cut it into small pieces and boil in a small portion 
of water slowly, till quite tender; pour oiF the water through a 
colander, and boil it, or rather simmer it, again for a few minutes, 
with sufficient cream and a small particle of butter rolled in flour, 
and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

The bowl in which it is served should be warm ; the sauce is to 
be poured on a slice of toast at the bottom. Raspings or crumbs 
of a French roll are also used in the same way, and answer an 
excellent purpose. 

The cook should be very careful not to scorch the cream by 
putting it over a hot fire; it must be stirred gently while boiling. 
This sauce, as before said, requires to be made with some tact, and 
we cannot be too particular in our directions to the cook ; for, if 
not made exactly right, it is neither palatable nor admissible for 
game. If burnt, which is the common error comijiitted by stupid 
cooks in making it, it should be consigned forthwith to the swill- 
tub, as six drops of such detestable stuflF would spoil the flavor of 
a partridge or grouse. 

If fond of spices, put in a little mace and a clove or two ; we do 
not, however, recommend it. A shallot or so, a bay-leaf, lemon- 
juice, orange-peel, or a little parsley, might also be advocated by 
some of our friends. 

THICKENING FOR SAUCES OR GRAVIES. 

The foundation of all sauces and gravies is the white and brown 
thickenings of the French cookery-books. These thickenings are 
indispensable to a well-organized kitchen, and no dinner can be 
served up properly without their aid. They should always be in 
the larder for use, and are made as follows : — 

WHITE THICKENING. 

Take a small lump of butter, the size of course in proportion to 
the use you have for the thickening ; melt it over a slow fire in a 
tinned or glazed stewpan ; then drain ofi" the buttermilk, and mix 



.480 



lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



sufficient flour with the butter to make a thin paste, which keep on 
the fire for ten or fifteen minutes, being very careful that it is not 
.scorched or colored ; then set aside in an earthen jar for use. 



BROWN THICKENING. 

Take, as before, a small lump of butter, melt it slowly, get ri 
of the buttermilk, and make the residue into a thin paste wit 
flour; then heat it gently over a mild fire until the whole mass 
becomes of a light brown color, when it is to be removed and put 
away for future use. 

Both of these thickenings are useful in serving up game; the 
latter, especially, is suitable for mixing with the drippings with 
which roasted game is basted. These thickenings are the basis of 
many other sauces, which the skilful cook, with a little instruction, 
will soon learn to make subservient to her art. 



1 

581 



POTATOES A LA MAITRE D HOTEL. 

Steam or boil small, firm potatoes in the usual manner; then 
cut them into thin slices, and place them in a stewpan, pouring 
over them a small cup of cream in which has been melted a small 
piece of butter, seasoned with a little salt, pepper, chopped parsley, 
and lemon-juice ; toss them over the fire for a moment, and dish 
them up piping hot. 




VENISON-SOUP. 481 

VENISON-SOUP. 

The following receipt for making this most delicious of all soups 
we concocted a short time since, and we trust our friends will find 
it as palatable as we do. We are indebted to Frank Forester for 
our first ideas on this subject. 

Take- 
Venison, cut into small pieces, and the fat all 

taken off. 6 pounds; 

Water 2 gallons; 

Cloves 2 dozen; 

Mace 4 blades; 

Boil slowly 2 hours. 

Then add— 

Venison, cut into small pieces an inch or so 

square 2 pounds ; 

Forced-meatballs 1 dozen; 

Then boil 30 minutes. 

Now add — 

Caj-enne pepper 1 small pinch; 

Black pepper 1 " 

Salt 2 

Lemon or lime-juice half wineglass. 

The soup-bowls — for it should be served in bowls — to be set 
before the fire, each containing say half a pint of dry Port wine, 
and a thin slice or two of bread, toasted, if you choose, floating in 
it: the soup to be poured over the whole, each bowl covered up 
and served hot when seated at the table. This soup is equally 
good the second day. 

Particular care should be had that the venison be quite fresh, 
and not in the least tainted, otherwise the soup will have a harsh 
flavor as well as disagreeable odor. 

sportsmen's beef. 

Take— 

A large round of beef; 

Saltpetre Z^ ounces; 

Allspice 1 ounce; 

Cayenne 1 pinch ; 

Rub in, and let stand 24 hours. 

31 



482 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

Then rub in thoroughly — 

Salt several hanifuls. i 

Put it by for ten days, turning it and rubbing in the salt every day or two.l 
Then put into a pan with — I 

Beef-suet 4 pounds ; I 

Dredge it slightly with flour, and bake slowly for 4 or 5 hours. 

We have tried it ; and we are satisfied that, with a little attention, ,' 
it will keep during the whole of the cold weather. We also thini , 
that we can answer for its pleasing the most fastidious palate, and, 
recommend it to our friends as an excellent and most convenient! 
article of relish to have prepared for general use or in anticipation 
of a prolonged sporting-excursion. If the round is not very large, i 
decrease the proportions somewhat, and take less time to prepare 
it. We met with this receipt in a very quaint and original book 
from the pen of General George Hanger, of the British army ; we 
have altered it in some particulars, and, we think, for the better. 

FOR COOKING HARES OR RABBITS. 

Cut the hares into pieces. i 

The stewpan ought to be flat, so that every piece may touch the 
bottom. 

First, heat the pan; then put into it about half a spoonful of 
lard ; then place the pieces of hare into it so that every piece 
touches the pan : do not cover it. As soon as the hare begins to 
hrown, turn the pieces and sprinkle over them two handfuls of 
flour, with two or three whole and very small onions. This must 
remain about five minutes over a moderate fire. Then pour over 
it about a pint of boiling water; add salt, pepper, two or three 
cloves, two or three allspice, and a very small portion of crushed 
garlic, (say about the size of a pea,) two laurel-leaves, (such as come 
in prune-boxes,) a small bunch of parsley, not cut apart, so that it 
may be taken out when the dish is served up. Let the whole boil, 
or rather simmer slowly, about one to one and a half hours. Then ■ 
pour over the whole from one-half to one bottle of good claret 
wine, and continue to boil over a very moderate fire for two hours 
longer, when it will be ready to serve. 



COOKING HARES OR RABBITS. 



483 



Particular care is required not to have too much fire. 

These proportions are for a dish of two hares. We are indebted 
to a friend for the above receipt, and we owe him many thanks for 
the opportunity he has thus afibrded us of furnishing so desirable 
a dish for our gastronomic readers. 

Squirrels may be served up in the same style, and will be found 
equally good. 

"Nee sibi ccenarum quivis temer^ arroget artem, 
Non prills exacta tenui ratione saporum." 





CHAPTER XXX. 



SOME HINTS ON TAXIDERMY. THE ART OF OBTAINING AND 
PRESERVING THE SKINS OF BIRDS. 

^^^ T is often very important that the sports- 
man should know something in reference 
to the art of preserving and setting up 
the game he loves so much to pur- 
sue; for he may at any time, when a 
long distance from home and far away 
from help, come across some curious 
specimen, a rara avis^ — a white par- 
tridge, a pied woodcock, or a mottled 
snipe, for example, — the preservation of 
which, for a place in his cabinet, would be a source of great 
satisfaction as well as pride. All this can be accomplished with- 
out any difficulty, provided the sportsman makes himself familiar 
with the very simple modus operandi of skinning a bird and 
the best plan of preserving the skin sweet till it is placed in 
the hands of an artist more competent to finish the under- 
taking. 

The principal and most important object to be attained in the 

preservation of a specimen, after we have shot it, is the protection 

484 




TAXIDERMY. 485 

of its plumage. This is done by pursuing the following course : — 
If the bird is not shot entirely dead, the best and easiest plan to 
relieve it from its sufferings, as well as prevent any further dis- 
placement of its plumage by its painful struggles to escape from 
our hands, is to squeeze it across the breast, or under the wings, 
with the forefinger and thumb, but not with sufiicient force to 
break the bones. 

A small pai'ticle of cotton or fine tow should then be placed in 
the bill, to absorb any exudation that might run from the mouth 
and come in contact with the feathers. If the wounds show 
any disposition to bleed, they should also be lightly covered with 
the same material, to protect the plumage, as it is often very diflS- 
cult, and at all times requires very nice handling, to cleanse the 
feathers from coagulated blood. 

This done, the bird should be lightly grasped in the one hand 
by the head, while the other is used in dexterously smoothing down 
the ruffled plumage; it should then be carefully wrapped up in a 
handkerchief or fine paper, and consigned to one of our spare 
pockets till the close of the day's sport. The following day or 
evening will be quite time enough to commence the operation of 
skinning, as the blood will not be completely coagulated till the 
lapse of several hours after death. 

The process of skinning birds will at first seem very difficult 
and awkward to the novice ; but we can assure him that a little 
patience and perseverance will soon overcome all the imaginary 
perplexities with which he surrounds the matter; and, before he 
has finished his sixth specimen, he will be surprised to find how 
easy a thing it is to skin a bird, — even far less troublesome than to 
pull a rabbit out of his furry hide. 

"In order to skin birds, we must pass a needleful of thread 
across the nostrils, tie it underneath the inferior mandible, (leaving 
the thread the length of the bird,) to prevent the blood from 
coming out of the beak during the operation. 

"We have before said that when a bird is killed we must in- 
troduce a little cotton into its beak ; we repeat this injunction, be- 



480 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

cause tlie beauty of a mounted bird depends on tbe freshness of 
its head ; it is easy to repair and clean the soiled feathers of the 
belly and back, but not those of the head without a great expense 
of time. 

" These precautions taken, we stretch the bird on the table, the 
head turned towards the left of the operator ; we divide the 
feathers of the belly right and left with small forceps, pull out the 
down which covers the belly, make an incision in the skin from 
the commencement of the sternum or breast-bone, until beyond 
the middle of the belly ; raise the skin on one side by the forceps, 
and separate it from the muscles with a scalpel, approaching as 
near as possible to the wings ; this done, we put a little floured or 
powdered cotton on the skin and flesh, that the feathers may not 
stick to them ; we force up or push out the thighs within the body 
of the skin, cut them between the femur and tibia in such a man- 
ner that the former remains to be afterwards pushed back into the 
skin. By the help of the scalpel and the fingers we detach the 
skin as far as the rump, Avhich we cut ofi". It is essential for this 
part to remain attached to the skin to sustain the tail-feathers. 
We then take the already uncovered part of the body with the 
left hand, and continue to separate the skin from the two sides, 
cutting some little tendons, which we find before we come to the 
wings, with the scissors ; we separate the wings from the trunk at 
the junction of the humerus with the body, and restore them to 
their proper place. We continue to skin the neck, thrusting the 
head from within, and we uncover it, taking care not to enlarge 
the opening of the ears, and, above all, to be particularly attentive 
not to injure the eyelids in taking out the eyes, which are easily 
picked out with closed points of the scissors ; we replace the eye 
with chopped cotton, with which we fill the orbits. 

"We separate the neck, take out the tongue, and carefully re- 
move all the flesh which is between the two branches of the inferior 
mandible. We enlarge the occipital hole, to extract the brain, by 
means of an iron instrument resembling an ear-picker ; and, to 
finish cleaning out the inside of the head, we pass cotton and flax 



TAXIDERMY. 487 

into it several times. We must, during the operation, besprinkle 
the humid parts with plaster of paris, or dry eartli, from time to 
time, to prevent the feathers from adhering to them and becoming 
dirty, and also divide the feathers to the right and left, for the 
same reason. 

"We then take out the Avings, cut them off at the second joint, 
and, taking away the flesh, restore them to their place. This 
operation answers for small birds ; and we anoint the wings in the 
parts which are destitute of feathers. We take away the flesh of 
the thighs, always preserving the bones of the leg, and put them 
back in their places. 

" If the bird be of a larger size, we must carefully take away 
all the muscles which adhere to the skin, as well as the fat ; and, 
if it has been killed by a gun, or holes are otherwise formed in the 
skin, they must be properly sewed up within. 

"We fix a piece of thread to the first joint of each wing, draw- 
ing them together to the distance which they occupy Avhen the bird 
is in the flesh. This precaution, Avhich does not appear to be of 
great importance, infinitely abridges the operation ; for, when the 
bird is mounted, the wings place themselves, provided they are 
properly tied within." — 3Ls. Lee's '■'•Taxidermy J" 

The skins of some birds are far less elastic, after being dried, 
than others, and therefore require particular care in their stufiing. 
Those of the gallinaceous order, or game-birds generally, are very 
contractile and non-elastic, and consequently require full stufiing 
when green, to preserve them in their natural proportions, as it 
will be found very difiicult to stretch them after being dried, even 
if submitted to the relaxing efi'ects of steam, which softens their 
entire structure more than any thing else. 

The skins should never be hung up to dry, as the weight of 
their bodies, if suspended by the head, will stretch their necks to 
an unseemly length ; a somewhat similar result will be efiected 
if they should be hung by the legs. The stuff'ed skins should be 
laid out on a plain surface, with their heads and legs gently ex- 
tended in a line with their bodies. 



488 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

"We saw a few days since a large box of pinnated-grouse skins 
nearly ruined in consequence of having been ignorantly suspended 
by the neck to dry. 

To preserve the skins from the attacks of insects, more espe- 
cially in warm weather, it will be necessary to powder thoroughly 
every portion of their inner surfaces with pure arsenic, or anoint 
with some of the arsenical soaps or other standard compositions. 
We prefer the free use of the arsenic itself: a weak solution of 
corrosive sublimate is the most convenient, if not the very best, of 
the liquid preparations. A teaspoonful of this poison to a quart 
of alcohol is about the proper proportion. The whole skin can be 
immersed in this solution without detriment, if it be deemed ex- 
pedient. 

With these few observations on this head, we will pass on to 
another kindred subject, which we also purpose to treat in the same 
summary manner ; our object being merely to call the attention of 
the intelligent sportsman to these matters, with the hope of creating 
an interest in those animals which he pursues, beyond the mere 
shooting of them, — an interest that will most likely ultimately 
result in benefits to the cause of science. If this end is accom- 
plished, our object is secured. 

It could not be expected of us to enter largely into the subject 
of taxidermy, for it would require a volume of itself ; and, moreover, 
there has been so much already written by those far more ex- 
perienced than we could ever hope to be, that it would be absurd 
in us to collate such matters for our present book ; we prefer call- 
ing the attention of our readers to the works of Mrs. Lee and 
Captain Brown, either of which contains all the information that 
one could desire upon the art of collecting, preparing, and mount- 
ing objects of natural history. 

Both of these manuals have gone through a large number of 
editions, and contain a vast amount of information in a small 
compass. 



PRESERVING EGG-SHELLS. 489 



PRESERVING EGG-SHELLS. 

To make his cabinet more complete, a sportsman may have a 
desire to preserve the nests and forms of the eggs of such game- 
birds as he may meet with in his rambles over the country. The 
only effectual method of doing this is "to blow the eggs," as the 
shells are so very porous that no plan, however skilfully devised, 
will prevent the putrefaction, sooner or later, of their contents, if 
we attempt to preserve them whole. Baking, boiling, slow drying, 
immersion in spirits, varnishing, &c. have all been tried without 
effect. To rightly "blow an egg-shell" is a process familiar to 
every truant-playing young urchin, and it would therefore seem 
unnecessary for us to enter into any detail upon so trite a subject ; 
however, we may not go far amiss in instructing some one of our 
quiet readers who, perchance, never played truant or robbed a 
bird's nest in his youthful days. 

The plan to be pursued is to make a hole in proportion to the 
size of the egg in the point and another in the butt ; shake the 
egg well, or stir up the contents with a small wire or darning- 
needle, so as to break up the yolk ; then apply the butt-end to the 
mouth and blow the contents out at the point. This done to your 
satisfaction, immerse the point in a cup of water and suck up a 
small portion into the shell; shake it well and blow it out; repeat 
this operation till the egg is entirely free from all the white or 
yolk that may adhere to its inside. 

Eggs may also be blown by means of a small pipe constructed 
as exhibited in the following diagram. 

These pipes, made of glass, can be had of the apothecaries. 
If made to order, however, either of silver or other suitable 
metal, they will answer a better purpose and last a lifetime : the 
glass ones are apt to get broken, and at all times require nice 
handling, as the points are necessarily so delicate and fine that 
the slightest knock will fracture them. With the use of this pipe 
it is only necessary to make one hole in the side, shake the egg 
for a moment or so, to break up the yolk, then insert the point (c) 



490 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

of the pipe, and suck. the contents, by the application of the lips 
to the point (a), up into the bulb (b) ; then withdraw it, and blow 
the contents out by the same passage by which it was introduced ; 
repeat this as often as necessary, according to the size of the egg ; 
then suck up some water into the pipe and blow it into the egg; 
shake it up well as before, and draw off with the pipe, thus leaving 
the shell perfectly clean. 




To preserve more effectually from corruption the semi-mem- 
branous lining that covers the whole internal surface of the egg, 
the putrefaction of which would more or less affect the integrity 
of the shell, it is recommended to introduce into the egg, by means 
of the pipe, a small quantity of a strong solution of corrosive 
sublimate in spirits, which, being shaken up for a moment or so, 
may be drawn out as before. Care should be taken neither to 
draw too hard nor too suddenly upon the solution, as we may thus 
get a small portion of it in our mouth, which, by-the-by, will not 
prove so agreeable as a sip of golden sherry. A very little prac- 
tice, however, in the use of the pipe, will make the operator quite 
skilful. 

A handsome, semi-transparent appearance may be given to the 
egg by putting on, with a camels'-hair brush, a light coating of 
mastic or copal varnish. Colored eggs should be brushed over with 
a solution of gum arabic, as the varnish may impair the color. 

TO PRESERVE WINGED BIRDS FROM FATAL HEMORRHAGE. 

If we should wing a bird, and wish to preserve its life, it will be 
proper to examine it carefully, more particularly if it be a small 
bird, to see if the hemorrhage is likely to prove fatal. If such be 
the case, it will be necessary immediately to secure the blood- 



TO PRESERVE WINGED BIRDS FROM HEMORRHAGE. 491 

vessels by a ligature, wliich can be very easily accomplished by 
examining the following drawing and adopting the means to be 
described. 



If the wound be high up, at the point e, pass a needle, armed 
with a piece of waxed silk or thread, slightly under the skin, but 
near to the bone just above the wound, and, drawing the two ends 
together around the bone, tie them. The pressure thus exerted 
by the ligature on the humerus will be quite sufficient to prevent 
the passage of blood along the vessels that lie in close contiguity 
with the bone. This done to our satisfaction, the bird may be set 
at liberty, and the ligature carefully removed in the course of a 
day or two. 

If the Avound be below the second joint, as at d, pass the needle, 
armed as before, between the two bones and close up to d, and tie 
the large bone c, which will thus include the bleeding vessels. 

If at a, below the third joint, pass the needle, as in the prece- 
ding case, between the bones, as near as possible to the small bone 
b; then pass it again on the opposite side of the bone a; now bring 
the ends together and tie them ; this being done, the artery will be 
included in the ligature. 

TO PINION OR AMPUTATE A WING. 

If we should wish to pinion or amputate any portion of the 
wing, either on account of a fracture or to prevent the bird from 
escaping, it will be necessary first to put on a ligature just above 



492 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

the portion of wing to be taken oiF. This must be done according 
to the directions laid down above. The flesh is then to be cut 
down to the bone with a sharp knife, and the bone sawed through 
with a very fine saw, at a point just above the fracture. If a saw 
is not at hand, a pair of sharp shears may be used for cutting the 
bone. 

Nipping the bones with shears, however, is very apt to fracture 
them and leave a ragged and uneven edge protruding from the 
wound, which will prove very painful to the bird and retard its 
recovery; the use of the small saw is far better. These opera- 
tions, although very simple in themselves and such as any school- 
boy can practise, still require some little skill and artistical cunning 
to perform properly. 





■^''^^'i^c:rpropt^''^.-^^- 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



GENERAL HYGIENIC REMARKS. 

"The first physicians by debauch were made; 
Excess began, and sloth sustains, the trade. 
By chase our long-lived fathers earned their food; 
Toil strung the nerves and purified the blood; 
But -we, their sons, a pampered race of men, 
Are dwindled down to threescore years and ten. 
Better to hunt in fields for health unbought, 
Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught. 
The wise for cure on exercise depend : 
God never made his work for man to mend." 

ATMOSPHERIC VICISSITUDES. 

PORTSMEN should guard as far as pos- 
sible against the ill effects arising fron: 
exposure to the various atmospheric vicissi- 
tudes inseparable from their pursuits. 

The clothing should be adapted to the 
season in which they hunt and the par- 
ticular sport in which they are engaged ; 
if the weather be warm, a heavy coat is a 
great encumbrance, and occasions much unnecessary fatigue; on 
the contrary, if the weather be cold and boisterous, a light coat 




494 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

would be equally inappropriate, and expose the wearer to a 
catarrhal affection, or perhaps an attack of rheumatism. 

We cannot be too particular in this respect, although many old 
veterans may laugh at our remarks, as tending perhaps to effemi- 
nacy, and say that such precautions are suitable only for " dandy 
sportsmen," but quite beneath the notice of those accustomed to 
braving all kinds of atmosperic changes while in pursuit of game 
either by land or water, and perfectly regardless of heat or cold, 
wind or rain. To these we reply, in a hackneyed but nevertheless 
appropriate phrase, Chaeun a son goUt; at the same time we 
do not deny that there may be some who can brave all these 
extraordinary exposures, without apparently suffering any par- 
ticular inconvenience at the time ; but we may recollect, also, that 
many have passed through the impending dangers of a long and 
arduous campaign, and come out from its perils unscathed, perhaps 
to die from the prick of a needle or the scratch of a rusty nail. 
Thus it may be with some of those who ridicule such precautions 
as every sensible man should take to ward off the bad effects of 
imprudent exposure to the changeable and trying climate of our 
Northern and Eastern States. 

"An ounce of precaution, at all events, is worth a pound of 
cure;" and no sportsman will do himself any harm by attention to 
the few hygienic rules that we are about proposing for his future 
comfort. He will rather derive much benefit from them, and be 
able at an advanced age to exclaim, — 

"Temperance, joy, and repose. 
Slam the door upon the doctor's nose." 

If wet after returning home, the clothing should by all means 
be changed as speedily as possible, and, if necessary, a little warm 
spirits may be taken. A cup of hot tea or coffee will often answer 
every good purpose, especially with those unaccustomed to the 
stimulus of strong drink. Nothing is more apt to produce a 
catarrhal or rheumatic affection than the pernicious habit of re- 
maining in wet clothes after coming from the field, particularly 
the careless and common practice of keeping on wet stockings. 



STATE OF THE ATMOSPHERE. 495 

i; Off with them at once, or your joints will ache long before you 
have seen t^\oscore and ten, and the sports of the field -vyill no 
[ longer hold out any charms for your rheumatic limbs. Do not sit 
•I nodding and toasting your wet feet before the blazing fire, but oflf 
t with those uncomfortable appendages to your lower extremities, 
i and replace them with dry ones. 

! 

J OVERHEATED. 

When overheated from extraordinary exertion, avoid placing 
; yourself in a draught of air, and shun the almost uncontrollable 
I desire hastily to quench your burning thirst with the crystal waters 
of some sylvan stream that bubbles seductively at your feet; as 
a sudden checking of the perspiratory functions by these means 
often produces the most serious consequences, and death itself has 
followed in the track of such imprudence. Do not be tempted, no 
matter how great your fatigue, to remain quiescent for any time, 
while in a state of free perspiration, in a damp or wet place ; do 
not sit down to rest your wearied limbs, but keep in gentle motion, 
until your skin has assumed its natural temperature, and then you 
may quaff freely and rest in safety. A professional acquaintance 
of the author, a few years since, fell a victim to his own folly by 
going into a damp cellar, and remaining for some time, by way of 
cooling himself during an excessively hot day in summer. 

If hot or thirsty, mix a little wine, spirits, or vinegar, — the latter 
if you be a teetotaler, — with the water before drinking it: this 
precaution will counteract any bad effects arising from partaking 
of the fluid when in an excited state. It is also well to bathe the 
wrists and temples before drinking. 

STATE OF THE ATMOSPHERE. 

There is certainly a vast difference between the air of the moun- 
tains and that of the low, marshy districts of our country. The 
former is pure and healthy, while the latter is corrupt and often 
poisonous. The one contains all the natural constituents for sup- 
plying the respn-atory functions with that food so essential to their 



496 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

"well-being, while the other is tainted with the germs or exciting 
causes of numerous epidemic and endemic affections. ij 

Therefore, if the sportsman should visit the malarious districts 
during the season of these poisonous exhalations, it behooves him, 
to be extremely cautious how he exposes himself to their delete-f ! 
rious influences. He should not, in the first place, be too eager to 
sally forth to the fields before the morning mists are absorbed by 
the benign rays of the sun and all the malarious effluvia wafted off^ 
by the gentle morning breezes. Nor should he toil too much in* 
the heat of the day, so as to enervate his frame to such an extent 
as to destroy the equable balance of health, and thus render his 
system more susceptible to the poisonous malaria engendered 
around him. Nor should he permit his love of sport to beguile 
him to remain out in the field after Father Sol has dipped below 
the horizon ; otherwise, the evening's fog may shortly treat him to 
an unfriendly "shake." But, above all, he should avoid sleeping 
in malarious districts with open windows. If the weather be chilly, 
have a fire, if possible, in your bedroom, or fumigate it thoroughly 
with cigar-smoke before retiring: we say cigar-smoke, as this is 
generally the most pleasant mode of fumigation to which a sports- 
man has it in his power to resort. In the absence of this, however, 
have recourse to the burning of paper or rags, or adopt any other 
method that the ingenuity of the party may suggest. A little 
brown sugar or a handful of feathers thrown on a hot shovel will 
assist materially in disinfecting a sleeping-apartment in a ma- 
larious region. 

The exhalations of a noxious country are all destroyed by the 
cold weather, and we may then visit those districts which are quite 
unapproachable during the spring and summer months, owing to 
the existence of this aeriform substance, termed "miasma," that is 
sure to fix upon a stranger who is so imprudent as to venture there 
in the sickly season. 



DIET AND DRINK. 49T 



DIET AND DRINK. 



*'With rolisb would you taste your rich repast? 
'Tis appetite must make that relish last ; 
If the great orator did right to say 
That eloquence in action, action lay; 
And -will you ask me, Appetite comes whence ? 
A fortiori, I should answer — thence. 
You want — what you may think an idle notion — 
Perpetual exercise! perpetual motion! 
A substitute for bread, your poorer neighbor ; 
But you require a substitute — for labor!" 

"Eat and drink with moderation, if you wish to live long," is a 
saying not less applicable to sportsmen than to other persons ; but 
to quaff lightly is absolutely necessary, not only for the comfort 
but for the success of the shooter, as much depends upon his 
temperance in all things appertaining to the bottle. It is im- 
possible, as all will grant, (old topers not excepted,) that any one, 
no matter how hardy he may be, can take the field with a steady 
hand and sure eye on the morning following an evening's debauch ; 
we will use even a milder term, and say after a night's frolic. 
Laying aside the headache and the general malaise that most 
usually attend excesses of this kind, the nervous system, even in the 
most robust, must suffer more or less from the reaction that takes 
place on such occasions ; and the muscular system, sympathizing 
with it in its derangement, renders the whole vital apparatus unstrung 
and unfit for arduous duty, such as the sports of the field require. 

These conclusions are so evident that it requires no argument 
to support them ; and we suppose no one will deny that such are 
the inevitable results of any excess in drinking. 

No drink insures better health, and produces a more equable 
tone throughout the whole system, than the exclusive use of un- 
adulterated water, — nature's gift, — the only beverage to which all 
animated creation instinctively resorts to quench the natm'al 
cravings of thirst. 

A fondness for other fluids, especially vinous liquors, is the 

effect of education and habit, as few persons like the taste of 

any description of spirits the first time they venture to apply 

32 



498 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

their lips to the brimming bowl; moreover, there never was a 
drunkard made a sot in a week; the dreadful vice is the conse- 
quence of a long and obstinate use of these liquors, which actually 
at first were very obnoxious to him. Water is the best solvent of 
all food taken into the stomach, and there is no drink that favors, 
or rather assists, the digestive apparatus so much, in a state of 
health, in the performance of its duties. It should therefore be 
used in preference to all other beverages by the sportsman, as well 
as by all others who wish to live to an advanced age. It is a well- 
known fact that all those individuals who have attained a great 
age were and are water-drinkers ; and it is seldom that we hear 
of an inebriate, or even of what are termed moderate drinkers, 
arriving at old age free from chronic afiectlons. 

If, however, it be necessary, either from habit or the peculiar 
condition of the constitution, to take a "little something" occa- 
sionally during our excursions, let that little be of the very best; 
and, in order to insure this, carry it along with you. 

Avoid, by all decent means, partaking of the poisonous drugs, 
called spirits, that are so generally found at the bars of our country 
taverns. Such liquors, most frequently, are not fit even to bathe 
the feet in, let alone putting into your stomach. A dose or two 
of such trash is often sufficient to upset a temperate man for days. 
To avoid the necessity of having recourse to this vile stuff, in case 
of sickness or otherwise, take, as before recommended, a small 
store of good spirits along with you, as a part and parcel of your 
necessary ammunition; but, as before observed, consider it as a 
medicine, only to be used when circumstances demand it. 

It is often very difficult, either from motives of politeness, or of 
actual policy on the part of the sportsman, to avoid drinking at. 
the bars of country taverns ; in such cases, take as sparingly as 
possible of the liquor, and largely of the water, and then take as 
little of the abominable mixture as you can well get off with. We 
have more than once been placed in this unfortunate position, but 
have silways succeeded in extricating ourselves by a little manoeuv- 
ring, without suffering from an overdose of the nauseating drugs. 



SLEEP. 499 

i 

SLEEP. 

■ It is absolutely necessary that the wasted forces of the body 
should be restored by refreshing sleep. The amount of sleep 
should be proportioned to the fatigue undergone; therefore, after 
a hard day's hunt, retire as soon as possible, and do not sit dozing 
and nodding before the fire. Rest, so natural to all animal life, 
will soon restore the wearied functions to their normal state of 
existence, and impart fresh vigor and strength to the exhausted 
frame of the ardent sportsman, and thus make him ready for the 
pleasures or business of the succeeding day. Sleep acts as a balm 
to his excited system, and restores that just equilibrium of the 
vital functions so much deranged by long-continued ejQTorts in 
search of game. Without a fair quantum of healthful repose, it 
is impossible for any one to pursue the sports of the field with that 
zest and ardor that every lover of the gun and dog should possess. 

Sleep, however, to be beneficial, should be moderate and not 
indulged in to excess, but, as before observed, should be regulated 
by the amount of labour undergone. Excess of sleep relaxes the 
system, and even enervates the whole physical as well as mental 
apparatus. Less sleep is required in warm weather than in cold; 
and Nature herself seems to have regulated this fact by giving us 
the long nights of winter for sleep, and the short nights of summer 
for siestas only. 

Some individuals require much more sleep than others. We are 
satisfied with six or seven hours under ordinary circumstances, and 
are led to believe that most persons can get along with a similar 
quantity. It is astonishing with what little sleep some persons of 
active disposition accustom themselves to, either from necessity or 
habit ; while, on the other hand, many slothful drones, whose whole 
time is spent in strutting about like tui'key-cocks up and down our 
principal streets, are not satisfied with double and treble — ^nay, even 
quadruple — the repose that many of our most active citizens 
require. 

It is well known that many of the most distinguished com- 



500 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

inanders who have made the earth tremble with their great deeds 
allotted but two or three hours of the twenty-four to sleep, even 
during the fatigues of the most exciting campaigns. Napoleon and ' 
Frederick the Great are both instances of this fact. 

GALLED HEELS. 

If by any mishap your heel should get galled, the inconvenience 
can often be remedied by adopting the plan recommended by 
Hawker, but which we, as well as many others, adopted before 
reading it in the colonel's work: — Take a small particle of gold- 
beaters' skin, and apply it over the wounded surface ; when this is 
perfectly dry, and adheres well without wrinkling when the foot is 
set in motion from the ankle-joint, take a piece of court-plaster cut 
perfectly round, or, what is better, stamped with a Avadding-punch, 
so that there be not the slightest irregularity or inequality on its 
circumference; Avet it with the tongue, and, holding it to the fire 
for a moment, apply it directly over the gold-beaters' skin. Hold 
the foot still till the court-plaster is perfectly dry, then rub it over 
with a little sweet-oil, tallow candle, or any other kind of grease 
more convenient; this latter application repels the moisture and 
consequently prevents the loosening of the plaster. A galled heel 
thus treated, with a change made in our boots, need give us no 
trouble, as the plaster will stick as tightly as possible through a 
whole day's hard work, if it be not immediately rubbed with a con- 
tracted heel, which will not allow the foot to go down into it, but 
keeps it seesawing up and down at every step we take. 

If we should suffer from having our ankles occasionally galled 
with a wrinkle in the boot, as Ave have suffered more than once, the 
plan proposed by Hawker will remedy the evil. We have tried it « 
and found it to answer a good purpose. It is in fact the only 
plan to pursue. In the absence of the pad, one's own ingenuity 
can construct something analogous. The colonel says, "Get a 
square silk pad similar to a kettle-holder. Then have sewed on 
the opposite corners of it pieces of list long enough to go twice 
around and tie on' the ankle. No wrinkle of a water-boot can 



CORNS. 



501 



;lien cut or bruise your ' tendo-Acliillis,' or back-sinew, provided 
jrou secure the pad firmly by putting it over your common stock- 
ing and under your yarn stocking." 




CORNS. 
As writers on sporting-subjects, even tbose of the highest rank 
in this department of literature, have deigned to speak upon the 
subject of corns, it .may not be deemed amiss in us to follow the 
precedent, although we may not be able to add much that is new 
upon the subject. 

A corn is nothing more than a portion of hardened cuticle, 
generally produced by the pressure of the boot, or of one toe 
against another. Those formed by the latter cause are usually 
the most painful and difficult to be treated, as they are situated 
between the toes ; and it requires much management to relieve 
the pressure sufficiently long to effect a cure, so long as the sufferer 
is obliged to incase his foot in a boot. 

These formations on the feet are called corns, from the circum- 
stance that a piece can be picked out very like a corn of barley, 
which fact no doubt many of our readers who are troubled in this 
way have observed. The curing of corns, in these modern days 
of improvement and charlatanism, has been promoted into a science 
by some few pretending worthies who have sprung into existence 
from the Lord knows where, and taken to themselves the high- 
sounding title of chiropodist to^his or her majesty's big toe, we 



502 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

suppose ! These fellows vaunt themselves much upon their skill j 
in the treatment of these deformities, and even produce certificates j 
from respectable sources in commendation of their great success, J 
which certificates are oftentimes obtained from the various parties 
without proper consideration or the lapse of sufiicient time after i 
the operation to judge of its real efiicacy. The public, however,^ 
is perhaps better able to judge of the merits of these scientific 
operations than we are ; nevertheless, as far as our experience 
teaches us, these ignoramuses, with their high-toned titles and 
great pretensions, are a set of bunglers, and the most of them ' 
entirely unworthy of confidence. Some of them even go so far 
in their charlatanism as to succeed in gulling their victims into the 
belief that there is some great secret attached to the operation of 
extracting a corn, as they ter^n it, and make a great ado in the 
matter, as it were to confuse the looker-on and involve their clumsy 
operation in a certain degree of mystery. All we have to say of 
these impudent humbugs is, that "the less our readers have to do 
with them the better." 

If, reader, you have been foolish enough, or rather vain enough, 
to wear a tight boot in order to exhibit the beautiful proportions 
of your foot, and consequently have thus produced corns and 
brought upon yourself a good deal of suffering, the first thing to 
be done towards relieving yourself of these little tormentors is to 
call on an expert disciple of Saint Crispin and order forthwith a 
pair of easy, non-pinching boots. 

This being done, procure some soft chamois-leather, and cut 
with your wadding-punch several pieces of it ; through the centre 
of these pieces punch again another hole still smaller with a large- 
sized shoemaker's punch : this hole should be about the size of the 
corn we propose to operate on. 

These pieces of chamois may now be stuck together with a little 
thin glue or any other kind of strong paste, and as many thick- 
nesses used as will be necessary to protect the corn from the 
pressure of the boot when it is laid over it. The under surface, 
or that part of the chamois-pad to be applied around the corns, 



CORNS. 503 

should be spread with diachjlon-iDlaster, (to be obtained from any 
apothecary,) and, when warmed at the fire, is to be nicely adjusted 
over the corn in such a manner that the hole in its centre will 
come immediately over the corn, and thus protect it entirely from 
the direct pressure of the boot and consequently permit the patient 
to walk with ease. This application Avill oftentimes not require 
readjusting for several days, and, if persevered in for a short time, 
the corn will entirely disappear. If the corn is between the toes, 
something of the same sort must be contrived for its relief. We 
suffered for several months with one of these formations in this 
situation ; and we must confess that the treatment of it tried our 
patience and exhausted nearly all our skill before our efforts were 
crowned with success. We have heard of many empirical and old 
women's applications for the cure of corns, but do not believe that 
any one of them ever performed a cure if the primary cause of 
the deformity was not first removed, — that is, "the tight boot." 
This being done, any one of them may without difficulty effect a 
speedy cure. 

The following recipe, picked up we know not where, we have 
used successfully on several occasions in the cure of corns, and 
therefore can recommend it Avith some degree of confidence : — The 
corn should be pared as close as possible, and the chamois-pad 
applied as above directed, and the mixture put on with a camels'- 
hair pencil, every other evening, for a week or ten days ; the pad 
should then be removed and the foot soaked in hot water, and the 
corn again pared of all the softened cuticle that will come off 
without using any great effort or producing pain ; the pad may be 
again applied and the mixture used as before. This will generally 
be sufficient to remove the enemy. 

B. — Tincture of iodine giii; 

loduret of iron grs. xii; 

Chloride of antimony ^W. 

An excellent corn-salve, put up in little tin boxes, may be ob- 
tained from the great herb depot in Dock Street. It appears to 



504 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

be of about the same consistency as the plaster known as Bur- 
gundy pitch. It softens the corn, and causes it to peel oiF. 

Hawker furnishes the following recipe, which he recommends 
strongly. We have never had occasion to try it: — 

" R. — Mercurial plaster ; 

Diachylon-plaster, with resin; 

Diachylon-plaster aa ^\y, 

Sugar of lead grs. sx. 

All mixed together and spread on leather. 

"Apply a piece of this plaster for three or four days. Then 
soak the foot, and rub the corn with a piece of pumice-stone. 
Again repeat the plaster, and the corn will soon disappear. 

"N.B. — The corn never to be cut." 

TREATMENT OF A FALL, SPRAIN, BLOW, OR BURN. 

If the sportsman, by any one of those mishaps incident to his 
pursuit, should meet with a fall and consequently sprain his 
ankle, wrist, or any other of the articulations of his body, the best 
and most convenient remedy, and one nearly always at hand, is 
the application of cold water, which should be poured on the 
injured part in a continuous stream for half an hour or more imme- 
diately after the accident. If the sufferer can get near a pump or 
by the side of a small waterfall, and place the limb directly under 
the stream, so much the better ; otherwise, he will have to content 
himself with pouring the water over the parts from his hand or 
sporting-cup. 

By pursuing this plan the pain will be diminished, the swelling 
prevented, and the inflammation of the parts powerfully opposed. 
The operation, however, to be of much advantage, should be com- 
menced as soon after the accident as possible, and persevered in 
for a long time. The colder the water the better. The limb 
should not be used for some time after the accident, — in fact, so 
long as it feels tender and weak; otherwise, the cure will be 
retarded to an indefinite period. Sprains, apparently of the most 
trifling character, are sometimes attended with the most serious 



TREATMENT OF A FALL, SPRAIN, BLOW, OR BURN. 505 

consequences, perhaps laming the party for several months. 
Those affecting the ankle are the most troublesome and require 
great attention. 

On one occasion, some time during our college life, we rather 
officiously proffered to hand a country-lassie from her carriage, 
which feat, by-the-by, she could have performed with far more 
ease, grace, and elegance, without our assistance, and perhaps have 
jumped clean over our head besides, if we had desired her so to 
do, or, rather, had bantered her upon her want of agility. The 
ground was slippery, with a high pile of snow on the side-walk 
directly in front of the vehicle. In her over-anxiety to grasp our 
extended hand, or rather in our great desire to support her delicate 
frame, she neglected freeing her garments from the projecting 
step, and the consequence was a trip tip, and down she came on 
top of us with a perfect rush, knocking us over and burying our 
head and face almost a foot under the snow. In an instant she 
sprang to her feet, shouting and laughing at the top of her voice, 
at the same time plying us with handfuls of snow, as a reward, we 
presume, for our awkwardness. Without any complaint whatever 
she walked or rather ran into the house, standing a few rods from 
the street. In the course of half an hour or so she felt a slight 
pain in her ankle-joint, and discovered that the parts around were 
swollen. Little attention, however, was given to the matter that 
day. 

On the following morning the ankle and foot were enormously 
swollen and painful; on the next day the swelling increased, and 
the inflammation was very great ; and so it continued for days, and 
weeks, and months, and the upshot of the occurrence was a rigid 
confinement to the house for about nine months, with the dread at 
one time of losing the whole foot ; and after the lapse of two years 
she had not entirely recovered the use of her limb, (so she informed 
me,) although we can vouch for her being now able to cross over, 
bacJc to back, lady's chain, right and left, during a whole winter's 
evening, without ever refusing a single proposition to dance from 
the country beaux. 



506 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

After iLe application of the water, and the limb being at rest, 
it will be well to bathe or rather gently rub the parts with some 
kind of opodeldoc. Sweet-oil, goose-grease, laudanum, spirits of 
camphor, hartshorn, brandy, alcohol, rum, whiskey, &c. &c. are 
the bases of all the mixtures known under the term opodeldoc. 
Any one or two of these substances, or all of them, may be em- 
ployed. For the purpose of friction, the mixture should be strorg 
enough to produce a smarting sensation and impart a certain de- 
gree of redness to the skin when rubbed in. Brandy and salt is 
a good application for this purpose, and can be obtained with con- 
venience at almost any place. 

This done, the parts may be bathed or kept wet with a solution 
of sugar-of-lead, made with equal parts of water and vinegar. If 
the limb, in spite of all these precautions, should be painful and 
continue to swell, it will ease it very much to apply a large poul- 
tice of flaxseed, corn-meal, onions, &c. If it gets worse, send for 
a doctor, if within a hundred miles, and he will order the joint to 
be leeched and prescribe a dose of salts and magnesia. 

Perfect rest to the limb is of the greatest importance, and with- 
out it no treatment will produce a cure. If the ankle is the affected 
joint, the foot should be kept up on a pillow, and never put to the 
ground till free of pain. A blow or bruise may be treated pretty 
much in the same way. 

The following lotion for sprains and bruises we give as recom- 
mended by an old English sportsman and soldier, — General 
Hanger. The reason why we give this old-fashioned recipe in 
preference to any other of more modern date is that we adopted 
it several years ago as a kind of family cure-all, for man and beast, 
and found it to answer a most excellent purpose. 

R. — Spirits of wine ^viij ; 

Gum camphor gj ; 

Spirits of turpentine 5j ; 

Spirits of sal ammoniac g j ; 

Oil of origanum ^ss; 

Laudanum gj. 



BURN. — WOUNDED EYE. 507 

Dissolve the camphor in the spirits of wine first, then add the 
other ingredients. To be rubbed in with the hand, for a quarter 
of an hour, several times each day. This mixture will be found 
vfery efficacious in the case of men, women, children, horses, 
dogs, and cattle. If the surface of the wound be excoriated, it 
will not do to apply this mixture directly to the spot, as it will 
cause too much pain ; it may be used, however, on the parts ad- 
joining. 

BURN. 

The best application to a fresh burn is raw cotton dipped in 
sweet-oil or molasses; lime-water and sweet-oil also make an ex- 
cellent dressing. 

"WOUNDED EYE. 

If a bug, seed, or twig, should fly into the eye, it ought to be 
removed as soon as possible. If you have a companion along, 
make him explore the eye thoroughly till he gets it out, whatever 
it may be, with the corner of a handkerchief; else you will be 
tormented all day with it, and the eye will become irritated and 
inflamed from its presence. A small seed will sometimes bury 
itself in the lining membrane of the lids, and remain there for 
hours if not removed by a skilful hand ; to do this, it will be neces- 
sary to take a small pencil-case, or any smooth article about the 
same dimensions, in the left hand between the forefinger and 
thumb, (provided our patient's right eye is afiected,) gently press 
the pencil lengthwise against the lower part of the lid, at the same 
time seizing the eyelashes with the forefinger and thumb of the 
right hand; with a dexterous motion the lid is everted, and its 
whole surface can be examined. This operation may appear diffi- 
cult to the reader ; but we can assure him it is very simple, and 
can be performed by any one with a little practice. 

Bathing the eye in cold water will often remove particles that 
may have blown into it, as well as aSbrd considerable relief after 
the removal of such substances. The eye, during the evening, 



508 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 

should be protected from the heat of the fire and the glare of the 
candle, not by bandagmg it up, as some foolish persons would sup- 
pose, "but by shading it with a broad-brimmed hat, or, what is 
better, sitting with the back to both. A bandage will heat the 
eye and increase the inflammation. 

The following is an excellent collyrium to be used in slight 

inflammation of the eye arising from wounds, colds, and similar 
causes. 

R, — Vinegar one teaspoonful. 

Laudanum - thirty drops, 

"Water eight teaspoonfuls. 

This preparation can be had at all times, as there is hardly a 
family in any part of the country that has not a little laudanum 
with which to dose a squalling child or to cure an attack of cholic. 

SORE THROAT. 

If the throat should feel sore, from exposure to wet feet or any 
other of those numerous causes to which all sportsmen are open 
during their excursions, have recourse to the following gargle, 
which we have used over and over again with perfect success 
in such cases. We have also recommended it frequently to our 
friends with like results : — 

R. — Barley-water two and a half teacups; 

Honey two tablespoonfuls ; 

Vinegar four tablespoonfuls; 

Tincture of myrrh three teaspoonfuls. 

Mis, and use frequently. 

If these ingredients cannot be obtained, take equal quantities 
of vinegar and water with a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper, and 
gargle. The throat should be rubbed with hartshorn, oil, and 
laudanum; even goose-grease will help. 

TO STOP HEMORRHAGE. 

If by any accident an artery should be opened in any part of 
the limbs, the bleeding is very easily arrested by tying a hand- 



TO TELL THE AGE OF A DOG. 509 

kerchief around the limb ; it should be drawn tightly, and answers 
better if a knot is put in it, which is to be placed directly over the 
course of the bleeding vessel. By this means the pressure will be 
exerted more directly upon it. This bandage should not be re 
! moved till a surgeon is present. 

All the principal bloodvessels run on the inside of the limbs, and 
can be easily discovered by the pulsation. 



'we3 if' I S-^ 




^ -j^<- 



TO TELL THE AGE OF A DOG. 



It just occurs to us how ignorant many of our friends are as to 
the mode of telling the age of a dog; we therefore give in this 
place a few hints on the subject. 

Take, for instance, a puppy at one year old; open his mouth, 
and examine his front teeth ; take no heed of the side or jaw-teeth, 
save to admire their ivory-like appearance. 

These front teeth, — or, more scientifically speaking, these in- 
cisors, — both in the upper and lower jaw, will be found jagged and 
uneven : this appearance may be termed the marhs of the dog. 
The age of a dog may be determined by these marJcs with the same 
degree of certainty with which a jockey guesses at the age of a 
horse. These marks continue longer in the upper teeth than they 
do in the lower, and the jagged, uneven appearance noticed in the 
pup is half gone at the age of three or four years ; when it has en- 
tirely disappeared and all the front teeth have become worn 
smooth and even, the dog is nearly or quite full six years old- 



510 



LEWIS S AMEKICAN SPORTSMAN. 



When the front teeth are not only worn smooth, but worn 
greatly away, the dog is well on to eight or even ten years ; and 
we may then notice, in the majority of dogs, other signs of age 
which are not to be mistaken, — such as the turning gray of the 
hair, about the eyes particularly, and which gradually spreads 
over the whole face. Dogs are seldom good for any sporting-pur- 
poses after ten years of age ; and but few of them, even at this i 
early period, if they have not had kind treatment and good atten- 
tion, are worth taking to the field except for a few hours' hunt. 







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